Why do my joints make noises when I move?

Nowadays, many people sit still all day long when they work. Over time, we will find that when we sit and work for too long, and then suddenly stand up and move around, such as twisting our waist or turning our neck, we will find that there are crackling sounds in our joints. What is going on? Is it a disease? So why do the joints in your body make noises when you move?

1. What is joint popping?

Joint popping can be divided into two categories: physiological and pathological. Most joint popping is physiological. The sound does not cause discomfort to other parts of the body and is not harmful to the body. It does not require special treatment and there is no need to worry about it.

1. Physiological joint clicking

After a normal adult's joints have been in a static state for a certain period of time, if they are suddenly pulled or flexed or extended, they will often make a crisp, popping sound.

A single sound that occurs occasionally often occurs when the human body suddenly makes a fast or unnatural movement, such as when a middle school student is playing and suddenly someone pulls his upper arm from behind, causing him to lower his head or bend over. The reason is that the force is too great, the speed is too fast, and the range of motion of the shoulder joint is too large, so the joint surfaces do not have time to fully fit together, and one side of the joint surface rubs against the rough bone on the edge of the other side of the joint surface, causing a noise.

2. Pathological joint clicking

Pathological joint clicking is caused by joint injury, disease or structural variation, which leads to rough synovial membrane, loose joint capsule and ligaments, tendon hyperplasia or tendon sheath stenosis, articular disc rupture, and articular cartilage detachment. The friction of the above tissues during exercise will cause clicking.

It can be divided into osteogenic, synovogenic, tendogenic and other types according to different causes and pathologies. The sound can be crisp, dull or frosted. Most of them are accompanied by pain or discomfort, and can occur continuously.

2. The following 8 types of joint noises are signs of disease and should be prevented and treated as soon as possible.

1. Shoulder noise

The severity of shoulder clicking should be determined based on age. In people under 35, it can indicate joint instability, particularly if your shoulder joint is loose or if the joint moves causing the "head" of the arm bone to pop out of place, creating a click. This is usually due to muscle damage and can be corrected within 4 months with physical therapy. If you are between the ages of 35 and 60 and experience painful clicking sounds (especially when you raise or pull your arms back), you may have shoulder impingement syndrome, an infection of the tendons around your shoulder. In the early stages, it can be successfully cured with physical therapy; in the later stages, steroid injections can be used to reduce infection, and severe cases may require surgery. For people over 60 years old, if their arms make crackling noises and feel pain when they move, it may be caused by arthritis and the cause needs to be found out through X-rays.

2. The sound of twisting elbows

Does your elbow make a sound when you twist it? If you feel discomfort and your elbow is "stuck" in a bent position, you may have a bone in your body that is too flexible or the cartilage around the joint is loose. Popping sounds on the inside of your elbow may be due to ulnar nerve dislocation, which is very easy to treat with a simple surgery.

3. The sound of fingers

Experts say that when you spread your finger joints, the pressure on the protective fluid inside changes, and the bubbles are released and burst, producing the sound. Knuckle cracking doesn't cause any harm, a survey has found.

4. The sound of the buttocks muscles

Some people often complain of a "snapping" sound in their buttocks. This movement occurs when the thick, fibrous tissue that supports the thigh muscles turns to the outside of the femur. Although it is very painful, it can be relieved by stretching exercises. Of course, even if the tissue around the socket is torn, it will repair itself.

5. The sound of ankle movement

When the Achilles tendon ruptures or tears, it makes a sound. This is usually caused by excessive tension on the Achilles tendon. Of course, sometimes there is no sound, but the heel feels very tired, which means that the tendons around the ankle are damaged. Surgery is the only solution. If you twist your ankle and hear a pop, you probably have a sprain, which is usually caused by a rupture in the ligaments connecting the bones. Of course, if you are overworked, no sound will be heard. Regardless of the situation, 85% of sprains and overexertion injuries do not require surgery and only require general treatment such as rest and ice.

6. Knee joint noise

If walking is painful and makes a clicking sound, you may have a torn cartilage. When people do horse stance, their knee joints will make noises because the knees bear seven times the force of the body at this time, and the noise is the self-protection of the body tissues. If your knee is painful and you can't bear weight, you most likely have a cartilage tear. Wrestlers, football, and hockey players are most likely to experience this condition. In addition to maintenance, severe cases may require a knee transplant. If there is a noise on the inside of the joint, accompanied by a dull pain and a particularly uncomfortable feeling, it is likely to be arthritis.

7. Toe snapping

Toe popping is often caused by a Morton's neuroma. This is a gradual process and is related to running and walking. Patients feel like they are walking on pebbles and experience burning pain in their toes. This disease needs to be treated professionally.

8. The sound of jaw cartilage movement

The sound is caused by tilting the head back and the cartilage between the jaw bones moving. If it is accompanied by pain, it is likely a temporomandibular joint disorder. This condition is prone to occur in people who grind their teeth at night or have jaw joint tears. See your dentist first to rule out oral problems before seeking medication or physical therapy to relieve your jaw muscles.

The noises coming from your elbows, hands, knees, toes, etc. are not just due to physiological reasons! They may be caused by diseases, so prevention and treatment should be carried out early.