By Franciscan Health
Whether you’re a habitual knuckle-cracker or your joints pop on their own accord, it’s important to know what’s causing your joints to make noise and when to be alarmed.
“It’s normal for joints to make cracking and popping sounds from time to time,” says Michael Kralovec, MD, orthopedic surgeon and clinical director of the Franciscan Health Center for Joint Surgery Munster. “It’s nothing to be concerned about if it’s not painful.”
However, if your noisy joints cause a burst of pain each time they crack or pop, it’s time to talk with a doctor. Dull aching after joint pops can also mean that something is wrong.
What Causes Painful Noisy Joints?
Knuckles, ankles, knees, hips and shoulder joints can occasionally be noisy. It can happen whether you’re waking up, working out, or even stretching as you stand up. Natural-occurring nitrogen gas bubbles in your joints that pop can cause a loud cracking noise.
When your joints pop or crack with accompanying pain, arthritis is the most common cause. Arthritis is a condition in which the cartilage covering the ends of the bones begins to wear away, exposing the bare bone underneath the cartilage. The bare bone causes a painful grinding sensation and can even lead to “bone-on-bone” degeneration. 
According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, almost 25 percent of all adults in the U.S. – roughly 58.5 million people – have arthritis. The older you get, the more likely you are to have arthritis in your joints. Managing arthritis early with lifestyle changes will help protect your joints.
Another common cause for a painful and noisy knee joint is an injured meniscus, which is a piece of stabilizing cartilage in your knee. If your meniscus tears, it will move in and out of place, causing a painful popping sensation. The meniscus gets weaker as you get older, so while a meniscus tear can happen at any age, it’s most common in adults 65 and older.
“There are many non-operative and operative treatments available,” says Dr. Kralovec. “I like to discuss all the treatment options with my patients and then work together to come up with a treatment plan based on their symptoms, lifestyle, and goals.”
Is There a Way To Avoid Noisy Joint Pops?
It’s not entirely possible to avoid noisy joint popping noises. However, there are ways to reduce inflammation and increase synovial fluid, which acts as a lubricant in your joints. When the synovial fluid is low, your joints have more friction and are more likely to crack and pop.
5 Tips to Help Avoid Noisy Joints
- Stay hydrated: Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day.
- Manage and maintain a healthy weight:
Extra weight adds extra stress to your joints.
- Eat a nutrient-rich diet:
Focus on foods with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein.
- Get regular cardiovascular exercise:
Improve your heart health and circulation.
- Stay active:
Yoga, gentle stretching, and other low-impact activities, like walking, are great ways to get physically moving.
