Do your knee joints make lots of noise when you go upstairs, or your neck when you turn your head?

If the answer is yes, you are not alone and the aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free explanation of what causes those sounds and whether or not you should be worried.

The correct medical term for the crackling, grinding, clicking, or popping sounds when you move your joints is crepitus.

It is something that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly adults over 50, though it can occur at any age. The sound may be audible to others or just felt as a grinding sensation within the joint itself.

Joint crepitus can affect different areas of the body depending on what you are doing, with knee crepitus when climbing stairs or moving from sitting to standing, in the shoulders with overhead movements, and in your neck when turning or side-bending your head.

While occasional joint sounds are usually harmless and part of normal joint function, persistent or painful crepitus can indicate an underlying joint problem that needs to be reviewed by your favourite healthcare professional.

What Causes Joint Crepitus?

The main mechanism behind most joint sounds involves your synovial joints. When you move and stretch a synovial joint, gas bubbles can form in the fluid due to the change in pressure, causing the rapid release of dissolved gases (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide), which form bubbles. This process is called cavitation and causes the familiar and distinctive popping sounds, which are generally harmless.

Grinding sounds can indicate a more serious condition, with a recent 2024 study highlighting knee crepitus affecting 41% of the general population, occurring in 35% following ligament injury, to 81% in knee osteoarthritis patients. Osteoarthritis remains a significant cause of painful crepitus, where cartilage breakdown produces grinding sounds and inflammation leading to pain with movement.

Other situations that can cause crepitus include ligaments snapping over bone surfaces, age-related joint changes, previous injuries, and muscle imbalances.

Takeaways

• Crepitus is the medical term for the crackling, grinding, clicking, or popping noises that synovial joints sometimes make during movement.
• Most joint sounds are caused by gas bubbles rapidly forming and collapsing within the joint and are usually harmless.
• Some joints are more prone to crepitus than others, and it usually occurs in the knees, shoulders, or neck.
• Osteoarthritis can be a major cause of problematic crepitus
• While occasional popping sounds from your joints are harmless, grinding sounds and pain indicate an issue requiring professional assessment and care.

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