Condition: Clicking Joint

The clicking sounds that occasionally occur when we move, is to some of us quite worrying. The sounds may be loud enough that others nearby can hear them too. There are several explanations and theories about what causes these noises and they are as follows:

• As we move and tendons move across a bony prominence or across a joint, then a clicking sound can be produced.
• It is perfectly normal for gas bubbles of Nitrogen to be found in our joints and sometimes these bubbles popping may also create a noise. This is thought to be what happens when we ‘crack our knuckles’.
• When a joint is suffering from “wear and tear” and/or the cartilage is damaged, then simply the two parts of the joint moving across each other can make the popping/cracking noise, as the joint gets stuck and then unsticks itself.

Invariably, investigations such as X-rays, MRI scans or ultrasounds fail to diagnose or understand where the popping noise is coming from with any certainty. In themselves, the noises are completely harmless and rarely, if ever, indicate that there is some serious underlying problem.

Of course, if the noise is created by a worn or damaged joint, then this would be part of a group of other symptoms that would draw attention to the problem and lead to investigations and appropriate treatment.