Hello there,,,,well this is one of the most common question asked by almost all age groups...also females tend to have clicking sounds more often than males....however most of it is related to Anatomy and functioning positioning of some structures around the joints which give rise to such sounds...even a tendon or ligamnt (which joins muscle to a bone) may give a clicking sound if movements in joints occour,,,unless you feel discomfort or pain with u r joints there is no cause of worry.
But for your satisfaction do a ViT D3,sr Calcium & RA factor test) if it is found to be deficient proper level could be achieved through supplementation.
Most of the clicking sounds fade away after starting a healthy and nutritious diet along with basic active exercises.(if RA factor is negative & calcium levels are within the reference range)
Regards & take care.
If the noise isnât accompanied by pain, donât worry too much.
If there is consistent pain though, go get it checked out!
However, itâs probably not a good idea to continually force that sound, even if it produces a "good sensation."
Keep track of how your body feels (and sounds!) as you progress in your exercise regimen.
What Are Joint Noises
Perhaps the most common sound that people think of when they talk about how their body âpops,â is cavitation. The traditional explanation for the sound of âknuckles crackingâ is the change in pressure of the synovial fluid in a joint.
A joint capsule surrounds all synovial joints and is a âclosedâ system filled with fluid, so any deformation would cause a change in pressure. Natural pockets of gas within the joint form a bubble and quickly collapses, causing the sound. This is why you canât crack your knuckles again immediately after you have done it once. It takes approximately 20 minutes for the gas to reabsorb.
Any synovial joint from your knuckles, elbows, spinal joints, and down to your ankles, can be âpopped.â
As for the other sounds, repetitive âclicksâ could be connective tissue out of its proper alignment or cartilaginous tissue damage such as torn meniscal flaps or other chondral tissue damage. It could also be a large nerve out of alignment as well. A common example is the ulnar nerve (inside of the elbow), which slips in/out of the groove when you bend and straighten the elbow.
Elbow Stretch
This is pretty common and isnât too much of a concern, especially if there is no pain.
Iâve had patients tell me of other kinds of popping and ârippingâ that occurs suddenly, with pain and subsequent swelling and bruising. This is probably scar tissue tearing, and depending on the situation it can be beneficial or problematic.
The âclunkâ sound is an interesting phenomenon. This is often felt as a shift, which may or may not accompany the louder pop. Itâs often described as distinct from the âregular popâ that people describe, but it actually may be the same phenomenon, just louder and more noticeable.
It might be a true subluxation, in which the joint is off axis, and a particular movement shifts it back on axis. If this is true, than these sounds occur in what I would classify as unstable joints and the ones most in need of exercise training to strengthen and improve motor control.
This happens often in people that have repeated injuries in one area, or long-term chronic issues.
Why Does it Feel Good When a Joint Pops?
(Beware, lots of big words ahead).
Like we mentioned above, when one of your joints is stretched beyond a certain point, the joint capsule is distended and you can hear a pop or clunk.
This stretch on the capsule stimulates Type III joint mechanoreceptors which cause a relaxation of surrounding muscles around the joint. So, if you had sensations of feeling stiff and tight, the ease and looseness you feel after the pop is probably because of this phenomenon.
Another theory is that natural painkillers (endogenous opiates) are released, thus the good feeling after someone cracks your back. These can be quite addictive and this is why many people keep cracking their back or keep going to see someone that will do it for them.
Whoa. That was a lot of technical jargon â itâs okay though, weâre done with that and you handled it like a champ.
Is Knuckle Cracking Bad for You?
Knuckle CracksA very relevant question is whether this should be repeated, or even performed at all.
The usual warnings condemn your joints to arthritis, instability, or other such damage. Well, if it happens with regular movement and is not forced, itâs a moot point. Itâs not controllable, and most likely you arenât doing yourself any damage.
However, repeated high force motions may not be the best thing to do to yourself.
So donât do that.
It is a very big debate whether repetitive cracking of normal joints leads to damage and dysfunction, and the scientific research isnât conclusive at all. But it is plausible to think that continual overstretching at the joint can impair motor control, and it is well known that repetitive abnormal stretching can lead to increased inflammation.
Another common phenomenon is for these noises to change over a period of time.
They can become louder, more frequent, less frequent, be accompanied by pain, or suddenly become pain free. This is probably because angles of pull and axes of motion can change with increased/decreased muscle strength and flexibility, and with other physical body tissue changes.
Itâs very common for noises to appear and disappear during the course of an exercise program as your body changes and adapts to the activities.
Three Things You Should Remember About Popping Joints
Most noises from normal movement are normal and fine. Whatâs not normal and fine is if this happens with pain.
Donât force the âpopâ to happen. Even if it likely wonât cause arthritis, it should be common sense not to twist your neck and back forcefully!
These sounds can change as you continue in your training and exercise. Keep an eye on what happens, either as it improves or gets worse. Youâll be able to see if changes in your program affect this over time.
Free Your Body of Those âPopsâ
As you continue to move and exercise and change your body over time, youâll notice changes in strength, flexibility, and coordination will bring other developments as well.
With new awareness you may feel that your clicking shoulder doesnât do that anymore, or your crunchy knees donât crunch any longer. These positive changes only tend to happen if we step outside of our normal exercise routines and get moving in a different way.
Moving in the same patterns over and over again could have you over-stressing your joints and tendons. This may lead occasional clicking to turn into a consistently painful issue.
Itâs great to exercise regularly and thereâs probably no preventative medicine better than that, but donât turn your training into an unbending and unadaptable routine. Invest time in new and unusual movements and your body will thank you for it.
Move Freely, Without Pain
Joint noises can often be remedied by getting your body moving and working well. Do that with our free Body Maintenance Guide.
Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
14 yrs exp
Vijayawada
Hello!
According to your notes , clicks generally happen in the joints due to pressure gradients in the joint.But if the clicks are painful and if you have swelling and tenderness around the joint medical attention is required!
Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Reasons for flagging
Hateful or abusive contentSpam or misleadingAdvertisement