Clicking Joints

Clicking joints are common and tend to affect the knees, elbows, shoulders, and spine the most.

The symptoms of clicking joints are noticed more so when you bend at these joints, and may include:

• popping, grinding, or crackling sounds

• pain that worsens with movement – it may feel like pinching, snapping or a dull achy pain

• swelling or redness at the joint

• stiffness

• limited range of motion, unusual fatigue in the area of the joint, or a locking sensation at the joint

Your joints click because of air bubbles in the synovial fluid that pop inside it when you move or bend the joint. Synovial fluid is what surrounds and lubricates your joints.

While most joint clicking is nothing to worry about, it can sometimes be caused by an underlying condition like arthritis, runner’s knee or tendonitis, or other lifestyle factors. 

These may include:

• poor posture – this causes the muscles that support your joints to become weak or imbalanced and pull on the joint

• wear and tear – repetitive use of a joint, when running or weightlifting, for example, can create too much friction at the joint, or for 2 joints to get stuck and rub over each other due to damaged cartilage

• muscle imbalances – when the muscles supporting joints become weak, which can cause the joint to move in unnatural ways

• inflammation – caused by conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, which can trigger too much friction in the joint, and force the joint to move around too much

• injury or trauma – joint injuries can affect the ligaments and tendons that hold it in place, making them loose or stretched, and causing excess movement

Risk factors for clicking joints

Clicking joints is common, but it’s more likely to happen in people:

• with hypermobility – who can extend their joints outside the normal range of movement

• who are older – the cartilage surrounding your joints begins to wear down naturally as you age

• with certain conditions – like osteoarthritis

Working out what’s causing your clicking joints is only possible if an underlying condition is to blame.

If your specialist suspects this, they’ll recommend one or more of the following tests:

• an X-ray

• a CT or MRI scan

• an ultrasound scan

• blood or antibody tests – to look for signs of infection, inflammation or autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis

It’s not always possible to avoid clicking joints, but you may be able to lower your risk by staying active, keeping joints lubricated by stretching regularly, eating a healthy diet, including foods rich in vitamins D and C, and managing stress.

Clicking joints are generally harmless, but if the clicking happens a lot, or is forced, such as when cracking your knuckles, it may lead to complications like:

• reduced grip strength in the hands

• swelling

• ligament injuries or dislocations

• joint dysfunction with pain, or a reduced range of motion

If an underlying condition is causing clicking joints and it’s left untreated, it may lead to:

• more chance of falls (osteoarthritis)

• joint instability and joint deformity – because of weakness and poor balance

• chronic pain and stiffness – this can affect daily activities

• a higher risk of tendon tears (tendonitis)

Treatment options for clicking joints depend on the cause. Treatments may include the following:

• managing an underlying condition

• braces or splints

• physiotherapy

• steroid injections

• keyhole surgery to repair damaged cartilage

• a total joint replacement

At Welbeck, our orthopaedic specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.