Knee cracking explained | Warning sign or normal phenomenon?

This is not medical advice. The content is intended as educational content for health care professionals and students. If you are a patient, seek care of a health care professional. Crepitations in joints are normal, so if your knees crack sometimes be sure to watch this video and find out what the mechanisms are.

ARTICLES CITED:

[PrDTRRR]

As a beginning physical therapist, i'm loving those videos to give good patient education!! Keep making video's please haha!

[unboundfull]

I had crackling knees even back when i was a child now that im 29 i still have it but I don't feel any pain unto it, the sound is just annoying sometimes.

[alecb]

Wow appreciate the very short informative video. I’m def experiencing one this on my knee but no pain and feel perfectly capable to continue my training. Thanks!

[lowyeeliang]

Have always been wondering. Thank for finally answering this question that have been bugging me and others around me. Great Job. Keep up!

[Mewier]

Very relieved by this video.
I'm 23 and when a grinding noise began two weeks ago all I thought was "Ok, great, I'm 23 and my knees are already ruined".
Went to a physiotherapist who said my knees were fine.
Still going to work on strengthening and stretching my legs, though. 🙌🏻

[lurjanazogaj]

i have ben dealing with knee cracking for the past wek and at first i thought my bones where breaking .But they didnt hurt although its super unsetteling and annyoing hearing a crack sound everytime i do workouts especially the bycicle crunch or straighten my knee suring a workout.Thanku for explaining

[stephenpato]

Great info!
And what's that music sounding like it was produced by Noah Shebib?

[vsercite]

This makes sense. I have really bad crunchy sounds in my left knee. But my tests and xrays all said that my joints are healthy. It kinda sucks cuz I am young and the sound makes me cringe. Is there any way to lessen the audible crunch?

[MrVsrikanth]

Whoa that's the best explained ever about crepitations inside the knee.. thanks a lot man.. u cleared my doubts, saved my money and time.. surely I'll share this link to my circle
Love from India

[lilears]

Nice general video.
Side note: The "popping" in the joint (in particular with distraction of the joint and spinal manipulation) is neither crepitus or cavitation (collapse of a gas bubble).
We now know that it is tribonucleation (the creation of a gas bubble).

[elissacarey]

What about after you have total knee replacement? I didn't start getting these crunchy sounds till 2 months after my TKR. They only happen when I get up from a chair or a deep squat.

[ShivSharma]

This video helped a lot, but still I will see a doctor. Thanks for this video.

[darren]

Thanks I was really worried about that had it for a long while but never figured out what it is ! It's still kind of disgusting and uncomfortable because I can feel it "grinding" away but after a couple of squats it normally disappears for a while so I guess it's not too bad 😊

[dinevang]

A simple and great video explaining why, we as health proffessionals should explain why crepitations (especially knee crepitations ) shouldn't terrify our patients !!!

[nikhilreddy]

Iam 2 years post acl surgery, I’m getting sounds exactly as in your video starting, passive bending of knee is normal but during squatting I’m getting sounds, is it normal ? What is the use of stem cell injection ? Thanks in advance

[Mr_Valentin.]

My whole skeleton is cracking, when I was a kid I could never sneak at night to the fridge without getting caught 😩

[jupitereye]

Wait, is there a way to do an MRI scan to check if these cartilage surfaces have significantly degraded?

[amandashine]

I'm 12 years old and I have been having these painless knee cracks, it has been happening since I was 9

[seohlengtay]

Are hip or knee snapping also know as
crepitus ? Are they the same?

[its_Maya]

I have cracking sounds and pain in my knee, ...
At this young age itself, ..
Should I be concerned about it, ...
Or leave it, ...
Or ask doctor, ...