Why does your knee crack/pop?
Is This Serious?
Symptoms of Cracking Knees
The main symptoms that cause concern are a cracking or popping when the knee hits its full range of motion.
For most people, this is completely harmless: it happens as a natural result of aging. As the cartilage on the joint starts to wear, it becomes uneven in certain places.
Cracking Knees With Pain or Swelling:
It’s when the cracking noises come with pain or swelling that you’ll want to take the issue more seriously.
Possible Causes of Serious Cracking Knee Issues could be one of the following:
Meniscus tear
The rubbery C-shaped disc (meniscus) is designed to cushion your knee, absorbing shock and spreading the weight of impact evenly across your bones.
Tearing can happen because of an unexpected twist or turn, especially during athletic activity, often when the knee moves but the foot stays planted.
Cartilage injury or wear
In an injury, knee cartilage can break off and catch on the joint, which causes pain and swelling.
Or, the cartilage may wear down from arthritis, which leads to a painful grinding feeling during movement.
Treatments for Cracking Knees:
Rest
Physical therapy
R.I.C.E
Rehabilitation exercises
Knee brace
For meniscus tears specifically: surgery (usually minimally invasive) to repair the tear or remove the torn section, either partial or total meniscectomy
The key is to seek treatment early, which leads to a faster and more effective recovery.
