Medically reviewed by Misty Seidenburg
Have you noticed your knees making more noise than usual? Do they crack, pop, crunch, or click when you sit, stand, or bend? You’re not alone. While knee popping noises are often just that- harmless noises- it’s important to know when those sounds may indicate a problem. This article will explore possible causes behind these noises and discuss ways to manage and treat common knee issues.
Before diving into the conditions and injuries that affect the knees, it’s helpful to understand the basic structures that make up the knee joint. Located where the thigh bone (femur) meets the shin bone (tibia), the knee is the largest joint in the body.
It is comprised of bones, cartilage, muscles, connective tissue, and nerves, all working together to support your weight and help with movement. Nearly every movement that uses the legs depends on the knees, like walking, running, and jumping. The common causes of knee pain include sudden injuries, anatomical differences, or chronic conditions that require ongoing management.
Synovial fluid is a clear liquid that lubricates and cushions the joints. Gas bubbles can sometimes form in this fluid and make a popping sound as they are released when the knee joint moves. Cavitation is considered harmless and normal, similar to cracking your knuckles.
This is the most common form of knee arthritis, caused by wear and tear of the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones and prevents them from rubbing together. As we age, this cartilage can break down, exposing the rough surfaces of the bones.
It’s possible to hear and feel grinding and popping as they rub together. This isn’t cause for alarm and is a normal part of the aging process, like wrinkles on the inside, but if accompanied by pain, it may be a sign to seek treatment.
Ligaments and tendons around the knee connect the muscles and bones, allowing the joint to move and bend. If the tendons are tight, you may have pain and notice a popping sound. These connective tissues also click or pop if they move out of their normal position and snap back into place.
If you experience pain around the kneecap (patella) or notice clicking, rubbing, or grinding when bending and straightening your knee, you might be dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or runner’s knee. This condition, which is not limited to runners, can occur due to weak or tight muscles, improper movement mechanics, or overuse, causing the patella to move incorrectly.
Tight, irritated, or damaged tendons around the knee may not glide as smoothly over the bones. That friction can produce popping or clicking when bending and straightening the knee. Tendinopathy can be age-related or a sign of muscle imbalance, poor technique, or overuse. You increase the risk of tendon irritation if you don’t allow sufficient time to recover after an injury and between intense workouts.
When a ligament in the knee tears due to injury or overuse, it’s possible to hear clicking, popping, and other sounds. The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) are most commonly affected, leading to instability in the joint. This instability can cause abnormal movement, resulting in audible sounds.
A weakened or torn ligament can also disrupt the alignment of the knee bones, causing them to rub against each other, which may lead to clicking or popping sounds. Additionally, a forceful impact on the knee can cause small bone fragments to break off and float within the joint, contributing to these noises.
The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage piece that cushions between the thigh and shin bones. It lubricates the joint and absorbs the impact of running, jumping, and other movements. A sudden twist or forceful rotation can tear the meniscus, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. The bones can rub across the meniscus’s torn edges, causing clicking and popping sounds.
If you experience unusual knee symptoms accompanied by pain, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. Identifying the underlying cause of knee popping, cracking, and grinding is the key to receiving the proper treatment and preventing the condition from worsening. If left untreated, it can affect your knee mobility, function, and, ultimately, your overall quality of life.
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Here are some simple and effective techniques to stop knee popping and clicking while maintaining knee joint health.
Building strength in the muscles around the knee helps keep the joint supported. Strengthening your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves promotes proper function, allowing for more even load distribution and reducing stress on the joint.
If you experience knee pain or have mobility limitations, consider combining low-impact activities, such as cycling, walking, elliptical training, and swimming, with strength training. This approach offers all the benefits of exercise while minimizing the risk of further knee damage.
Stretching to release tension and improving flexibility is also beneficial for strain on knee joints. Incorporate stretches for the hip flexors, calves, and hamstrings to reduce knee stress. The iliotibial band (IT) ligament, which runs along the outer thigh, helps stabilize the knee and control movement.
Knee alignment can be compromised when the IT band becomes stiff due to overuse or imbalances, leading to pain and clicking. IT band stretches and exercises help alleviate and prevent knee pain, clicking, and popping and reduce the risk of common knee injuries.
Foam rolling helps release tight muscles around the knee, improving mobility. Just a few minutes of foam rolling daily can help alleviate muscle tightness, enhance range of motion, and promote tissue recovery by reducing lactic acid that may cause painful muscle cramps.
Poor control during movement, such as inward knee tracking or improper foot placement, can cause excessive pressure on the knee, often resulting in uncomfortable sounds like grinding or popping.
Correcting positioning for certain activities and being able to control changes in movement can significantly reduce or eliminate knee grinding, popping, and clicking by ensuring that the joint moves in a natural and balanced way.
When the body can control the forces applied to it, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the knee work together efficiently, reducing unnecessary stress on the joint. By improving muscle control, you can promote smoother, more fluid motion in the knee, reducing the likelihood of these noises and preventing potential injuries.
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for protecting the knees, as excess weight places added stress on the joints, particularly the knees. For every pound of extra weight, the knees experience approximately 3–4 times that amount of pressure during activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
This increased load can accelerate wear and tear on the knee cartilage, leading to joint degeneration, pain, and conditions like osteoarthritis. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight can help limit joint deformities that may lead to knee pain or injury.
Physical therapy is ideal for knee pain, clicking, and popping because it addresses the root causes of these issues by improving strength, flexibility, and joint mechanics. A physical therapist can assess your knee, identify muscle imbalances or tightness, and create a personalized rehabilitation plan.
Targeted exercises can strengthen the muscles around the knee, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, which help stabilize the joint and reduce abnormal movement that leads to clicking or popping. Physical therapists also utilize manual therapies and other modalities, such as heat, TENS, and dry needling, to relieve discomfort.
Additionally, physical therapy includes stretching and mobility exercises to improve the range of motion and reduce muscle tightness, helping to restore smooth and pain-free movement. By focusing on both treatment and prevention, physical therapy alleviates existing discomfort and helps prevent future knee problems.
Knee clicking and popping can be more than just a nuisance—they can be a sign of underlying imbalances or wear and tear. Don’t let discomfort stop you from staying active. Physical therapy for knee pain can help you strengthen the muscles around your knee and alleviate the noise. Take the first step toward healthier knees with physical therapy. Request an appointment at a clinic near you.
