Dr. Soppe explains the harmless grinding or clicking sound made when a joint is moved.
Article link: Crepitus and Arthritis: What’s the Link? – Parade
The human body makes strange noises when something’s amiss. A growling tummy can mean you’re low on food. Wheezing from the chest can imply a respiratory infection. So when your knees make snap, crackle and pop sounds, it’s normal to feel a bit concerned.
Crepitus is a grinding or clicking sound made when a joint is moved. “It’s a normal sound made when moving joints, similar to popping knuckles,” says Dr. Clint Soppe, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics. As bad as creaky knees sound, medical experts say it’s usually not a cause for concern unless it causes pain.
Crepitus gets more common as you age, but it is possible in younger people. Soppe recalls seeing young adults whose knees made a crunching sound when they bent down. They would come to the office because they were embarrassed by the sound, but their MRI and anatomy showed no problems with a joint. A January 2025 review estimated that 41 percent of the general population has knee crepitus.
For a majority of cases, crepitus is a non-painful sound. However, there are times when crepitus is a symptom of arthritis. Research shows there is a strong link between crepitus and knee osteoarthritis.
“When we get arthritis, the sound is made when bone rubs on bone,” Soppe explains. People with osteoarthritis lose cartilage, which allows bones to move. When cartilage is damaged or degenerated, bones rub against each other, creating a crunchy sound.
Since crepitus is not a condition, there is no cure for it. There’s also no way to prevent the sound from happening. “It’s nothing to worry about, as long as it’s not painful and it’s not an indication that your joint is degenerating or you’re wearing out the cartilage,” Soppe says.
