Why Does My Knees Hurt And Crack?

Do your knees hurt and make cracking noises? Doctors call this sound crepitus, which happens when carbon dioxide builds up in the synovial fluid of the knee joint and bursts as a gas bubble when the joint has to adjust quickly. These gas bubbles can burst with a loud cracking or popping sound. It may be scary but usually is harmless. Crepitus is common in many people without pain, but you still might want to get it checked out. If you are experiencing pain when your knee makes a cracking or popping sound, you should consider setting up an appointment with our orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ, to put a stop to your pain. 

Causes of Crepitus

Crepitus can happen for various reasons. Knee trauma is one of the most common causes of crepitus that involves pain. The knee is the largest joint in your body, and as you bend or straighten your knee, your patella (kneecap) glides back and forth smoothly. The cartilage in your knee allows the patella to glide smoothly and keep your knee stable. The bones can grind against each other and cause crepitus with abnormal wear in the cartilage. Some of the injuries that could be causing your crepitus and that we have treated at New York Sports Medicine Institute include:

• Meniscus Tears: These are common in athletes such as runners and cause crepitus as the joint moves.
• Chondromalacia patella is when you have damage to the bottom surface cartilage which covers your kneecap. This injury is usually caused by overuse and may lead to a slight pain behind the kneecap.
• Patellofemoral syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, is caused by too much force being placed on your patella. This happens before the joint surface of the patella is damaged and can lead to chondromalacia patella. There can be a painful crunching from this injury that you can see or hear when the knee is moved.
• Osteoarthritis is mechanical stress and biochemical changes coming together to break down the cartilage that supports the joint over time. This injury causes inflammation and pain and may cause crunching in the knee joint.

If you are experiencing knee cracking without pain, this could be an early sign of overuse. To prevent the knee from getting worse, our orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ recommends weight management, stretching, use of proper footwear, and exercises to strengthen and protect the joint.

Treatment of Crepitus: Orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ

If you are experiencing crepitus without pain, you may want to play it safe and get your knee checked out since it could be an early sign of overuse. If you are experiencing pain, your treatment will depend on the cause of your crepitus. Seeking treatment with New York Sports Medicine Institute as soon as possible is ideal since your injury could become worse and lead to ACL, MCL, or PCL damage. Our orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ recommends various treatment methods. 

Weight management is one of them since maintaining a healthy weight is important for keeping your knees healthy and having less pressure on your knees. Applying heat and ice to your knee may be one of the oldest ways to treat an injury but is effective in reducing inflammation. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) will reduce the inflammation in your knee joint and reduce pain. Physical therapy and exercises to increase the strength and range of motion of the knee joint is a crucial part of your recovery since it is a great way to improve the strength of the muscles around the knee. Before exercise, you should be doing dynamic stretching, where you move a muscle through a full range of motion, and static stretching, after you exercise, where you hold stretches for a certain amount of time. Stretching is a great way to prevent injuries from occurring.

Contact New York Sports Medicine Institute: Orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ

At New York Sports Medicine Institute, our orthopedic in Ridgewood, NJ is committed to your safety. Our team will help you manage your knee pain and return to living pain-free! We help patients dealing with a variety of conditions and will personalize your treatment program to suit your individual needs. To learn more about how we can help, be sure to request an appointment with us today!