The reason why your knees ‘creak’ – and the worrying thing it means for your future: ‘A concerning discovery’

A physiotherapist has revealed the worrying reason why your knees are cracking – and the exact symptom that means you need to see a doctor.

Researchers from La Trobe University in Australia found that almost 13 million people across the country suffer from creaking knees.

Creaky knees, also called knee crepitus, is the audible crackling or grinding sound during knee movements.

Graduate researcher and physiotherapist Jamon Couch said: ‘One of the more worrying discoveries we made was that people with knee crepitus were more than three times as likely to be diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

‘They are also twice as likely to have changes in the knee joint associated with osteoarthritis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.’

The findings were published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Osteoarthritis is a common condition that causes joint pain, stiffness and reduced movement – ​​for which there is no cure.

The degenerative disease causes the tissues in the joint to break down over time.

Creaky knees, also called knee crepitus, is the audible crackling or grinding sound during knee movements

You should visit a doctor if your creaking knees are accompanied by pain or swelling.

Knee crepitus has numerous causes, some of which are harmless.

The grinding sound can be the result of arthritis, injury, ligament movement, or gas bubbles in the synovial fluid.

Mr Couch added that people with creaking knees often worry that there are serious underlying health problems, but that is not true unless you are also experiencing pain.

“Although research into the long-term effects of knee crepitus is ongoing, people generally should not worry about their noisy knees and are encouraged to continue exercising,” he said.

“If it’s not painful, it’s probably not causing any damage.”

How can I prevent osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, but is most common in the knees, hips, hands, feet and spine.

While there’s no surefire way to prevent this, you can do several things to reduce your risk.

Healthdirect Australia recommends that you avoid joint injuries or overuse and enroll in a sports injury prevention program if you are at risk.

You can also prevent the joint disease by maintaining a healthy weight by watching your diet and exercising regularly.