These noises, when accompanied by pain and other symptoms, can indicate more serious illnesses.
When performing movements that engage the knee joint, such as squatting and lifting, you can often notice popping and crackling sounds. These sounds are also one of the main reasons patients see orthopedic surgeons. However, even if they look worrisome, most cracks in this part of the body needn’t be a cause for concern.
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“Usually, knee popping is the result of air entering the fluid responsible for lubricating the joints, called synovial fluid, which creates small bubbles that pop during movement, generating a popping sound. But this type of noise is harmless and does not cause pain,” explains Dr. Marcos Cortelazo, orthopedic specialist in knee and sports traumatology, member of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SBOT).
When the pop indicates something more serious
The specialist explains that the crackling of the knees, when accompanied by other symptoms, can indicate more serious conditions. “In some cases, noise may be just the first sign of common knee conditions. So, if the clicks are frequent, be careful if they are accompanied by other symptoms, such as knee pain, swelling, joint blockage or difficulty walking “, says the doctor, who still recommends trying to recover from the moment it started to hear the knee cracks.
“If the noise started after a trauma, such as an impact or twisting, it is likely an injury,” emphasizes Dr. Marcos Cortelazo. Your doctor lists below some of the major conditions associated with snapping knees. I wait!
1. Patellar chondromalacia
Patellar chondromalacia, one of the most common problems affecting the knees, is one of the causes of cracks. “The condition is characterized by the softening of the cartilage of the kneecap or patella, the bone located in front of the knee,” explains the doctor.
Also according to Dr. Marcos Cortelazo, this type of condition mostly affects women. “The disease can be caused by a number of factors, including, in addition to trauma, being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, knee misalignment and excessive and incorrect practice of high-impact exercises,” he explains.
2. Meniscus injuries
Tears of the meniscus, the cartilages that act as shock absorbers to absorb and distribute impact across the region, are also a common cause of constant knee slaps. “Usually, these injuries appear after trauma, such as twisting and sudden movements during physical activity,” explains the doctor.
“Elderly people are also more likely to suffer from the problem, because, due to the wear and tear that occurs over the years, these cartilages are more prone to breakage,” says the knee specialist.
3. Osteoarthritis
Knee crepitus is a early sign frequent osteoarthritis. “In the early stages of the disease the popping can occur without pain, which gets progressively worse as the condition progresses,” says the doctor. He explains that osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects the cartilage in the joints and causes bone changes, causing pain, deformity and mobility difficulties.
“The disease mainly affects the elderly, but it can also occur in the youngest due to trauma and excessive overload of the joints generated by obesity or by the exaggerated and incorrect practice of physical activities”, he explains.
4. Arthroplasty
Dr. Marcos points out that, in addition to these and other diseases, patients undergoing arthroplasty, i.e. partial or total replacement of the bone knee joint popping noises can also be heard from the dentures. “Even if they are not accompanied by other symptoms, these noises are not a cause for concern and can even be produced by the collision between the different materials of the prosthesis during movement,” he adds.
Request a medical evaluation
In case of doubt, the recommended thing is to contact the orthopedist to carry out an evaluation. “The doctor will be able to evaluate the patient’s history, perform a physical examination and, if possible, reproduce the noise during the examination. If necessary, imaging tests may also be ordered. Based on the results, the specialist will be able to verify the cause of the noise and, with the confirmation of the diagnosis, indicate the necessary treatment for each case,” says Dr. Marcos Cortelazo.
“Finally, it is worth mentioning that while cracks by themselves are not a problem, it is not advisable to intentionally break joints, as the habit requires sudden movement and a joint stress which can lead to injury depending on how it’s done,” he concludes.
By Maria Paolo Amoroso
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
