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JOINT NOISES: IS IT A CAUSE FOR CONCERN?

Dr. Raghuveer Reddy, Thursday, October 31, 2019

WHAT ARE POPPING SOUNDS IN JOINTS?

A joint capsule surrounds all synovial joints and is a “closed” 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 can’t crack your knuckles again immediately after you have done it once. It takes approximately 20 minutes for the gas to reabsorb.

As for the other sounds, repetitive “clicks” 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.


WHY DOES IT FEEL GOOD WHEN JOINT POPS?

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 causes 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.


IS KNUCKLE CRACKING BAD FOR YOU?

It is a very big debate whether repetitive cracking of normal joints leads to damage and dysfunction, and the scientific research isn’t 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.


 ARE THESE POPPING SOUNDS NORMAL?

Most noises from normal movement are normal and fine. What’s not normal and fine is if this happens with pain.

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. You’ll be able to see if changes in your program affect this over time.


HOW TO REDUCE THESE POPPING SOUNDS?

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. When you exercise in new ways and adapt new styles of movement, you’ll notice changes in strength, flexibility, and coordination will bring other developments as well.

With new awareness, you may feel that your clicking shoulder doesn’t do that anymore, or your crunchy knees don’t 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.


WHY KIMS?

KIMS, with one of the best bone joint specialist doctor in Hyderabad, asks its patients to assess their joint noises to understand if it requires medical attention. Our best orthopaedic doctors for joint pain in Secunderabad has creaking joints remedy as well as clicking joints cure for immediate relief from joint noises that occur with severe pain. Our best orthopaedic specialist doctors in Kondapur are also adept at treating joint noises and join pains, which can lead to arthritis and other join problems.

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