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Why Does My Knee Crack?

Last updated on September 16, 2020 By Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT 32 Comments

three backpackers hiking mountain
One of the most common questions asked by knee patients is, “Why does my knee click?” There are several distinctively annoying sounds that can come from the knee: some of them are not worth worrying about, and others are more problematic. Here is a list of some of the more common knee noises and what the typical causes are.

1. Loud and sudden snapping noises that occur with initiating movements such as standing up, ascending stairs, and bending / straightening the knee

These clicking noises may or may not be accompanied by pain and are high in pitch. The cause of this type of clicking tends to be tied in to how the kneecap, or patella, sits on top of the underlying trough that the femur bone makes underneath it.

knee xray

This X-ray view of two knees (above) gives us a visualization of how the kneecap should ideally rest. The kneecap can at times slightly move to the side and make uneven contact with the femur bone underneath it. When correction of this slight misalignment occurs, a cracking noise is heard as the patella snaps back into a better alignment. These slight misalignments are often the result of muscle imbalances and weaknesses in the legs. If these clicking noises are not accompanied with pain, I will typically tell patients not to worry about them. If you look closely at the X-ray, the outside (lateral) portion of the “trough” that the kneecap rests in is a bit higher, so it is not at all uncommon for the kneecap to momentarily get stuck when it tracks slightly to the side.

2. Grinding noises that last for several seconds while an individual is squatting and returning from squatting.

Many people will liken this sound to slowly moving sandpaper over a surface. This sound also tends to be high in pitch.

This sound is produced by unevenness in the cartilage that coats the underside of the patella as it makes contact with the underlying tissue and bone. With squatting motions, the at times “ridged” underlying cartilage of the kneecap grinds against the underlying bone, even though the kneecap may not be misaligned and tracking off to the side as in the first example. Think of this type of noise as the result of the kneecap being pressed downwards rather than off to the side.

This phenomena can be the result of having tight quads and hip flexors which tether the patella downwards, or it can simply be a function of how “soft” the cartilage is under the kneecap. If this type of sound persists over months or years, it wouldn’t hurt to see a doctor.

3. Deep pitched grinding sounds that come from deep in the knee joint and are associated with bearing weight through the legs / sit to stand etc.

This type of deep sound tends to be reflective of joint arthritis in the femur and patella and is usually the result of age and years of repetitive stress. When X-rayed, there is less space noted between the bones because there is little or no cartilage present. The noise is created by “bone on bone” contact without the normal cartilage in place to provide shock absorption and lubrication. This type of noise is often associated with pain and should not be taken lightly. Go and see your doctor!

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Filed Under: Featured, Physical Therapy Tagged With: Knee



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About Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT

Dan is a licensed Physical Therapist in the District of Columbia, license #PT2916. He has a Masters of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Dan specializes in sports medicine & upper extremity rehabilitation. He is a Certified Hand Therapist, certified by the American Society of Hand Therapists (initial certification date 11/6/2004, certification #1041100023). Dan has extensive continuing education in manual therapy from the Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
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Discussion

  1. Cherilynn says

    July 5, 2014 at 10:41 am

    apart from the normal cracking, I’ve realised that my knee cracks and have weird sounds ( like those of breaking something) when I press on my knee with my fingers. is that normal? and my knee randomly feels painful on random days for a short while until it’s difficult to walk normally.

    I’m 15 and I’m an active athlete in ball sports

    Reply
  2. Callum Morris says

    November 4, 2014 at 8:04 pm

    I am sixteen years old . I hurt my knee back in January I noticed a lot of clicking in my knee. Use to course me pain when strightning but know I have know pain at all . It still crakes and cliks but does not hurt when I run or walk or walk up stris . I was just wondering if you have an idea what this is? and how I could stop this clicking ?Lot of people say it’s cartilage but i have never had any of the symptons . I strongly believe it’s not but I don’t have a clue what it is…

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      March 4, 2015 at 10:47 am

      Callum apologies for not writing back, your comment did not show up on my prompt.

      The way that the kneecap tracks may be slightly off. This may not involve any pain whatsoever. You may try strengthening your quads and hips, see a PT if you want some guidance.

      Reply
  3. cory says

    March 4, 2015 at 8:07 am

    I’m 26 years old and have been having problems with my knees since u was about 16.. over the years my right knee pops out if place from time to time,and if I twist my right knee it cracks really loud. Both of my knees have giving me problems and has been in pain for quit a few years now. Every time I Bend down and stand back up both my knees sound like the are tareing. I’ve went to doctors several times and nothing was done.. I know at this age it’s not normal to have these problems!

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      March 4, 2015 at 10:44 am

      Cory I would go and see a physical therapist. It may have to do with how the kneecaps are tracking. You may be able to do something about it.

      Reply
  4. christopher says

    January 12, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    I’ve been having some issues with my knees the past few days. When I straighten my legs i hear a crack in my knees. The other day I had pain in my left knee. Could you tell me why that is? And if I should be concerned.

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      January 12, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      From what you are saying this sounds like a patella tracking issue. Quadriceps strengthening will typically help with this, but it is difficult to diagnose this based solely on what you said. A visit to the doc will likely get the definitive answer.

      Reply
  5. John Brown says

    July 4, 2017 at 12:24 am

    Both of my knees have been giving me problems
    Right: every time that i twist it, it clicks, sometimes very loud and sometimes quietly. It does not come with pain but it is very concerning.
    Left: Recently I play non-stop basketball full power for about 5 hours straight before biking up and down a few hills to get home. Few days later the left side of my left knee started swelling and hurting just a bit. When the swelling went down I started playing again but my knee felt like it was out of place and it was a quick pain that occurred when I took a step on my left leg but not all the time only occasionally.
    Who should I consult about this

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      July 4, 2017 at 9:58 am

      I would suggest an orthopedist. My guess is that there is a mild tracking issue with the knee cap and some inflammation.

      Reply
  6. Joanna says

    August 2, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    Over the past two weeks I have developed a loud clunking noise in my left knee when moving from kneeling/ squatting to standing. It’s as if something is not quite in the right place and then it clunks as it moves into the right place. It only happens with full flexion of the knee. There is some very mild pain when walking but no difficulty in walking up or down stairs. Any ideas is this patella related?

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      August 2, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      I would guess that it is. The patella can shift and make a clunking noise and sensation when it is not aligned ideally. It could also be meniscus related. A simple orthopedic evaluation should let you know what it is.

      Reply
  7. Skyler says

    September 25, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    I am 14 years old and My knee has been popping every time I straighten it and it pops with every step I walk.It all happened after my 3 mile cross country race 3 weeks ago.What should I do about it

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      September 26, 2017 at 10:50 am

      It might have to do with how your quadriceps muscle is controlling the knee cap???? If the popping doesn’t go away I would maybe see a physical therapist and have the knee assessed. All in all, this does not sound too serious.

      Reply
  8. Arno says

    October 1, 2017 at 1:38 pm

    Since a few years my knees have been getting worse and now click/crack pretty much every time I straighten them from a flexed position. So sitting on a chair or couch with legs bent then causes me having to “click/crack” them when I straighten them. Seems problems are worse after strenuous exercise (like squatting during fitness) in which the clicks become painful after doing the exercise. They usually don’t click during the exercise but sometimes pain also occurs during the exercise without them clicking.

    I also feel pain around the kneecap sometimes while walking up/down stairs, riding a bike or even while standing up from a seated position. In general it’s pretty pain free while straightening them with no pressure on the knee’s (like when you straighten them while staying seated) but pain occurs while straightening them under pressure like standing up from a low position. I don’t recall a specific trauma that caused it just gradually got worse over the years, right knee is definitely worse then the left one. Any ideas what’s wrong?

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      October 2, 2017 at 8:30 am

      This sounds like a knee-cap tracking issue. I would have it assessed by a PT or a doc. There are some specific exercises that you can do to work on the alignment.

      Reply
  9. Ryan says

    November 20, 2017 at 12:15 am

    I have had chronic knee pain in my right knee that has gradually gotten worse, it started 7 months ago when I was running and about a mile in I felt severe pain. The Knee cap is tender when I move it and there is a thinking below my knee cap. I have pain going up but not down stairs, and it hurts to run,walk, and bike.
    I have had 2 X-rays that were normal but I had a ultrasound that showed damage to the lateral retinaculum. I also have clicking in the back of the knee. My doctor has assured me it’s not arthritis but I’m not so sure. I am 20 years old male and weigh 143 pounds and 5’9.

    Reply
    • Ryan says

      November 20, 2017 at 12:17 am

      Disclaimer. I meant thickening below my knee cap

      Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      November 20, 2017 at 8:03 am

      This sounds to me like this might have something to do with how the knee cap tracks? A PT evaluation would probably shed some light on the problem.

      Reply
  10. Ruby says

    February 16, 2018 at 5:11 pm

    Hello,
    I am a 34 year old female 5’11” and average build. There is a very tender spot on the inside of my knee below my right kneecap. I have had this tender spot for years (since about 10). I went to physiotherapy some time as a child at about 15, and they thought it had something to do with my growth spurt – one muscle growing faster than the other. It hasn’t bothered me much except if I am sitting for a period there is pain when straightening…I need to slowly stretch my knee straight and let it ‘crack’. Recently though it has gotten worse, where I can’t straighten my leg because it won’t crack. If I try to stretch it straight it is just intense pain. I feel the pain all the time, not just in the tender spot (it has moved from just one sq. in below and inside, to all round the bottom left area of my right kneecap. Sleeping is difficult. Walking produces a sharp pain with each step. The weather is definitely a factor (cold and rainy) but this pain is the worst that I have ever experienced. I do have a dr. apt this week, but I’m wondering what your thoughts are on the cause of this? (I do yoga stretches and participate in sports to keep my muscles toned.)

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      February 16, 2018 at 10:51 pm

      It may have something to do with how the knee cap tracks with the underlying femur. I would see if the doc is willing to do x-rays to see how it looks. I would also ask the doctor if he or she thinks that it might be a “plica” (you can look up what it is online, not a particularly big deal, but it can feel nasty for quite some time).

      Reply
  11. Ritika says

    March 15, 2018 at 4:42 am

    I was a dancer and I’d gotten the sensation that my left knee was going to pop and gave up on me at least 3 times. This would cause me to fall on the floor immediately while performing certain movements. This was at the age of 15-20. I am 25 and now have started noticing a clicking sound in that same knee. Everytime I get up after sitting for a while, or if i squat to workout (possibly without stretching enough)..but only in my left knee. What do you think the issue is. I feel like if I go to a doctor they wouldn’t take me seriously because it doesn’t bother me otherwise. Sometimes I feel odd stretching that leg after it has popped. Also my mom has osteoporosis so it makes me little worried. All these issues could be unrelated to the popping though.

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      March 15, 2018 at 8:00 am

      My first guess would be a patellar tracking issue. The underside of the kneecap may slightly adjust when you go from sit to stand. It is also possible that there might be a slight nick in part of your meniscus that catches when you move like that. A good doc or a good PT should be able to disseminate between the two. Neither are a huge deal, but the kneecap thing is more treatable in terms of quad and hip strengthening.

      Reply
  12. Harneet says

    May 9, 2018 at 1:51 am

    I am just 20 and my knee crack and pop very loudly when i do sit ups with no pain in it from 1 year should i concer or not

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      May 9, 2018 at 10:40 am

      That is probably just the way the the knee cap tracks. If it isn’t painful it is most likely nothing to worry about. Ask your doc about it when you see him/her.

      Reply
  13. Emily says

    May 14, 2018 at 11:42 am

    I hyperextended my knees 3 times as a child and now in my 30s I take collagen daily to help. My knees had never felt better and then I got lazy with the collagen. My right knee now makes a cracking noise when I go up the stairs, performs squats, lunges, anything that is quad related. There is no pain with this and I have isolated the cracking noise to above the patella. I am about 40 pounds overweight and I am in the processing of losing it. I would like to workout but I’m not sure if this new knee crack is something to be concerned with? I have since been back on daily collagen for almost a month with no cracking sound improvement noted yet. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      May 14, 2018 at 11:53 am

      Hmmmmm. I would say that an x-ray might be a good idea just to make sure that the alignment looks good. Cracking by itself will not usually concern me too much, particularly if there is no pain associated with it. I do agree that getting back to some quad training is a good idea. I would probably stick to more “closed kinetic chain” type exercises.

      Reply
  14. Cathi Britz says

    July 10, 2018 at 12:52 pm

    Good morning, I just found this informative site! I had arthroscopic left knee surgery little over 2 weeks ago. Doctor shaved a loose flap off the meniscus, (I understand that is different from a meniscus repair) vacuumed out loose tissue and tightened up my ACL graft (Ive had 2 ACL replacements within 7 years). I have a great deal of arthritis in this knee as well. Ive been doing ok and being patient so I dont overdo it. The joint was gliding without any popping and no more locking!! Getting it to bend when I walked was a challenge but it got better, I graduated to walking with a cane last week and was about to start physical therapy yesterday. But 2 days ago I regressed, it started popping without pain quite a bit when I would bend it (I know popping can be normal) then sudden pinching pains on the outside of the knee when I shifted weight onto it. Bending it when I walked no longer felt right. Extreme stiffness when I stand up. When Im sitting or laying, there is no soreness in the knee at all. I called my surgeon yesterday, he said to go to PT and keep taking anti inflammatory meds. So….I get up today and try to put some weight on it, I could tell I shouldnt try that just yet. My leg was favoring a straight position when I walked with the crutches. Then I go to sit down and the knee felt locked. I sat down with it straight and iced it, 20 minutes later I could bend it while sitting. That was 2 hours ago, I have not gotten up since. Before surgery, I dealt with sudden knee locking for 3 months (bad 3 months) I educated myself on why it may be locking and a scope seemed like the only way to fix it. All the other symptoms the last few days are not as devastating as the locking. But why now 2 weeks in?? Im afraid Ive reinjured it and the popping I was hearing the first day of these problems was the meniscus tearing. Overthinking I hope? I see my surgeon this coming Monday and I will go to PT later today like he said and try to be optistic. My question that I may not want the answer to: Is knee locking 2 weeks after a scope a sign that Ive reinjured it? Thanks for any assistance. -Cathi B

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      July 10, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Your PT should be able to shed some light on this. It very well may be that the knee cap is not gliding well in the groove from the swelling etc.. That can cause locking and cracking. Have the PT assess this. I wouldn’t freak out about this.

      Reply
  15. Jesse says

    December 27, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    My knee snaps very loudly when I go upstairs and pops whenever I squat. There is a loud cracking whenever I extend my leg and I feel pain all in my VMO muscle and along the inside of my knee. This all started suddenly during a workout (squats). Any ideas?? Waiting for an mri… oh and downstairs it makes a click. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      December 27, 2019 at 3:19 pm

      It sounds like there is something up with the way that the kneecap is tracking. If the VMO is strained or otherwise over-tired, you may lose some stability in the kneecap and it moves a bit laterally. If your MRI is clear, it may be worth seeing a PT.

      Reply
  16. Katelyn Davis says

    April 17, 2020 at 12:21 am

    Hi im 31 years old 128lbs 5″3.
    Everytime im in a chair or exercise my right knee would and it have pain with it. I had a knee brace on every morning sit with it straight out and heat then at night i have a ace wrap on it. I work with my father on little job sites and my knee would be in pain. Also the cracking sound would be loud and hurts. Can u tell me what it is and should be concerned.

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      April 17, 2020 at 9:06 am

      This probably has to do with the way that the knee cap tracks in the groove. You may be able to correct it with a few choice exercises. I think that this might be something that can be dealt with by seeing your doc or a PT once or twice so that you can get started on doing the correct exercises to strengthen the quads and hips.

      Reply

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