If you’re hearing snap, crackle and pop from your joints and not your breakfast cereal, you might be wondering if that’s normal. In adults, the popping, creaking, clunking, crackling noises coming from your joints is harmless and very common. But if the popping causes you pain, it’s time to see your primary care provider.
The most common reason you hear noise is the fluid shifting around your joints. The synovial fluid lubricates and protects the joints. Over time, gases can build up in these areas, which are released when the joint is being used. Popping can occur unintentionally when you walk, exercise or get up from a still position. It takes time for the gases to build up again, which is why you can't repetitively crack the same joint until about 10 to 30 minutes pass. The noises will probably increase with age but are generally not a cause for concern in the absence of pain.
When joint cracking is accompanied by pain or swelling, it generally indicates a mechanical problem or disease activity within or around the joint such as:
Arthritis
Various types of arthritis cause swelling, which changes the way the joints move. Osteoarthritis (OA) causes the cartilage in a joint to become thinner and more ragged. This thinning and wear can cause pain as joints rub against each other, and it also has links to popping joints. Popping joints occur more frequently as OA progresses.
Fun fact: cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis. It might annoy people near you, but there are no studies that show a correlation.
Meniscus tears
The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that provides a cushion between your femur (thighbone) and tibia (shinbone). A tear in the cartilage of the knee may also cause a popping noise. Since the meniscus cushions the knee joint, a tear may cause the knee to make the popping noise.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is pain at the front of your knee, around your kneecap (patella). Sometimes called "runner's knee," it's more common in people who participate in sports that involve running and jumping. A popping sound can happen when the tendons or ligaments snap over the bony structures in the knee or as a result of patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Having joints that pop doesn’t indicate you will have future problems. You can keep your joints healthy by exercising regularly and avoiding excessive repetitive motions and injuries.