Should you be worried about the crunching sound in your knee? Alex Dodds explains
We’ve all had it. You climb out of a chair or walk upstairs and you can hear a light crunch, like someone quietly munching a bowl of cereal in your knee. So what is it? And is it something you should be worried about?
Why does your knee crunch?
Crunching in the knee (the technical name is crepitus) is usually a sign of early wear and tear behind the kneecap. The kneecap (patella) is a bone that moves along a groove as you flex the knee. It glides noiselessly when the smooth cartilage beneath it is unworn. But as the cartilage becomes worn, the surface roughens, so that when the bone moves across it creates the distinctive crunch.
Is crepitus something to worry about?
If you’re trying to exercise, rehab or build up muscles, I’d usually suggest pushing through crunching noises. Crepitus isn’t in itself something to cause undue concern, although it is an indicator of cartilage wear and that may put you at greater likelihood of developing osteoarthritis in later life.
Where the crunching, grating sound is accompanied by pain, that’s the point to seek medical advice, although the issue here would be the pain rather than the crunch.
If you’re worried about pain in your knee, please get in touch or call 01242 246549
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