The cracking sounds you hear in your knee can be either normal or an indicator to a possible risk. But how can you know when these sounds are normal and when they aren’t?
If you occasionally hear some popping, snapping, and cracking noises coming from your knee, it’s completely normal. The reasons may be one of these:
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The cartilage that covers our bones may develop some uneven areas as we age. So, when we move, stand or squat, a few sounds come from these rougher surfaces that glide across each other.
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Another reason may be linked to our ligaments. Ligament is the tissue that connects one bone to another. Sounds come when these ligaments tighten as we move.
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Popping sounds may also be linked with the joint lining moving over our bones. But when such noises are accompanied with pain or cause swelling, they might be a sign of serious knee problems.
The audible sounds that our joints make when we move or change our position are called as crepitus. Crepitus with mild cracking sounds and sensations are normal but when become coarse and intense along with painful symptoms, they can be the signs of any of these:
A mechanical symptom – Meniscus tears
When a patient feels like something is caught within the knee and a popping sound is produced when knee moves back and forth, he/she may be experiencing a mechanical symptom. This type of popping is usually a sign of meniscus tears. It’s a loose cartilage caught in the knee that causes pain. Meniscus is a rubbery disc that cushions your knee and acts as a shock-absorber. When you encounter any sudden twisting while playing or running or due to any traumatic event, tears to the meniscus are caused.
Knee Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
The other sign might be a cartilage irritation or a cartilage injury or wear. If the cartilage covering the bones get injured, it causes a piece of the cartilage to break off and get caught in the joint. As a result, you will face swelling or pain in your knee. This cartilage wear and tear is called as knee arthritis. During such state, patients may feel as though their knees are grinding when they walk or move.
If the cartilage covering the bones get injured, it causes a piece of the cartilage to break off and get caught in the joint.
The grating and creaking sounds coming from the knee joints also indicate the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA). OA is the most common kind of arthritis, usually affects people over the age of 65. OA occurs when the smooth cartilage gets worn down. The bones cause friction when they rub against each other. This is the more persistent type of painful popping.
When crepitus is associated with pain, it is commonly caused by OA. This is the most prevalent disease as around 27 million of Americans have OA as per the Arthritis Foundation. It usually affects the joints which are used most often and also the weight-bearing joints like knees and hips.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
The popping sound can also be a sign of chondromalacia which is often termed as patellofemoral pain syndrome. It is also referred as runner’s knee. It is the roughness on the undersurface of the patella in which you ‘feel’ the crunching and grinding.
Injured ligaments
When patients have a swollen knee that creates popping sounds, they most likely have injured ligaments. The knee has nearly been damaged if there is a pop at the time of injury. Any of the ligament including posterior cruciate ligament, anterior cruciate ligament, or medial collateral ligament might be injured. These injuries cause the knee to swell up and cause intense pain.
Tendon Snapping
Tendons are the connective tissues that connect muscles to bones. If any patient has swollen tendons surrounding the knee, they tend to affect the knee whenever it bends. IT band tendonitis is the most common type of tendinitis that occurs when iliotibial band gets swollen and irritated.
Knees are one of the most important parts of your body and you should act immediately if any injury occurs to them. Consult a professional orthopedic surgeon without any delay to prevent any potential risks.
