Do you ever hear strange noises from your knees and wonder whether it is causing damage? 

Crepitus is defined by cracking, creaking, crunching, grinding or popping.

The common causes of crepitus include:

• Air bubbles inside the joint

• Fluid movement within the joint

• Ligaments or tendons snapping over bone structures

• Arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis)

Crepitus occurs at any age – meaning it is completely normal! A study by McCoy et al., (1987) found that 99% of asymptomatic patients had noisy knees. Another study found knee crepitus has no relationship with function, physical activity level or pain with squatting. 

If you experience knee crepitus with no pain, it is harmless. However, it is important to note that if you are experiencing consistent pain, swelling or history of trauma with your noisy knees, it is recommended to come us at Exercise Thought. 

References:

de Oliveira Silva, D., Pazzinatto, M. F., Del Priore, L. B., Ferreira, A. S., Briani, R. V., Ferrari, D., & de Azevedo, F. M. (2018). Knee crepitus is prevalent in women with patellofemoral pain, but is not related with function, physical activity and pain. Physical Therapy in Sport, 33, 7-11.

McCoy, G., McCrea, J., Beverland, D., Kernohan, W., & Mollan, R. (1987). Vibration arthrography as a diagnostic aid in diseases of the knee. A preliminary report. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume, 69-B(2), 288-293

Song, S. J., Park, C. H., Liang, H., & Kim, S. J. (2018). Noise around the knee. Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery, 10(1), 1

By Amy Mustac.