It’s a quiet morning. You lace up your shoes, step outside, and begin a brisk morning stroll. But as you take those first few steps, there it is—a faint grinding noise, almost like the crunch of gravel underfoot, except the sound is coming from your knee. This unsettling experience, known as knee crepitus, is common and can leave many wondering if it’s a sign of arthritis or another serious condition.
Before jumping to conclusions, it’s important to understand what knee crepitus is and what it might mean for your health. Knee crepitus refers to the audible crackling, creaking, or grinding sounds that occur when you bend or straighten your knee. You might notice it when climbing stairs, standing up from a chair, or even just walking.
What Causes Knee Crepitus?
The exact cause of knee crepitus remains somewhat of a mystery. Theories suggest that these knee joint noises may be attributed to damaged knee cartilage, tendons moving over bones, or the popping of normal gas bubbles in the fluid surrounding the knee. However, current scientific evidence is insufficient to confidently determine the origin of this common symptom.
Our recent review of 103 studies involving 36,439 people found that 41% of the general population had noisy knees.
Interestingly, knee crepitus is common across the population, including among people with no knee problems at all. A significant number of individuals without pain or previous knee injuries also report experiencing these sounds.
Is Knee Crepitus a Sign of Arthritis?
Many people worry that knee crepitus might be an early sign of arthritis. While it’s true that noisy knees are more common among older adults with arthritis, with 81% of people with osteoarthritis experiencing it, knee crepitus isn’t always indicative of impending knee problems.
In a study of 3,495 older adults, two-thirds of those who reported “always” having knee crepitus did not develop symptomatic osteoarthritis over the next four years. This suggests that while knee crepitus can be associated with arthritis, it does not necessarily predict it.
For younger adults, particularly those with a history of knee injuries, the presence of knee crepitus is also common. A study of 112 young adults with previous knee injuries found that those with knee crepitus were twice as likely to have cartilage damage in the first year post-surgery. However, this did not correlate with worse long-term outcomes.
Managing Noisy Knees
Given that knee crepitus is common even in those without knee pain, injury, or arthritis, it generally shouldn’t be a cause for concern. If the noise is not accompanied by pain or other symptoms, it’s usually harmless. Unfortunately, there are no specific treatments for knee crepitus, but maintaining overall knee health is advised.
Regular exercise, both aerobic and resistance-based, along with maintaining a healthy body weight, can help keep your knees healthy. However, be cautious about sourcing information online, as much of the advice available about knee clicking isn’t supported by research.
When to Seek Medical Advice
Although knee crepitus is often benign, there are circumstances where consulting a healthcare provider is advisable. This includes if your noisy knees are:
- Accompanied by pain, swelling, instability, or locking
- Associated with signs of arthritis, such as stiffness, redness, or reduced mobility
In such cases, a healthcare provider may recommend a physical assessment to examine the structures in and around the knee joint and evaluate the impact of your symptoms on your quality of life. Possible recommendations might include physiotherapy, exercise to strengthen supporting muscles, dietary advice for weight management, or anti-inflammatory medication.
Most importantly, creaky knees alone, without other symptoms, are not normally cause for concern. So, lace up those shoes and keep moving, knowing that in most cases, knee crepitus is simply a harmless quirk of the body.
