Pay attention to your knees. You may hear sounds from them that are a sign of trouble. Have you ever wondered why joints make noises when they move? You may notice that your knee makes noise every time you sit on the couch; When you walk up the stairs, your knee cracks like an old plank of wood; While running, by slipping in one step, the knee seems to burst and becomes extremely painful and numb. Even if a person has done physical therapy treatments for arthritis and his pain is almost gone, he may still hear an annoying knee noise every time he bends and straightens his knee. Our bodies have strange ways of communicating with us, yet most of us don't pay attention to the warnings it gives us. What is our body trying to tell us when our joints sound like rice krispies? Why do the knees make noise? Doctors call the sound of the knee crepitus, which is a sound similar to breaking, crackling and popping. The cause of these sounds may be the release of gas accumulated in the areas around the joints (bubble formation). When the knee bends, the gas bubbles burst and damage or tear the ligaments. Some sounds are harmless and others are problematic. Knee sounds when bending According to doctors, if the sounds are not accompanied by pain, there is usually no reason to worry. A popping or cracking sound often occurs when squatting or moving. This sound is similar to the cracking of knuckles and happens mostly with fast movements. It is this rapid movement that causes the gas bubbles to burst and make the sound. If the tendon or ligament breaks and hits the bone, a popping sound will probably be heard. What is the cause of knee noise? The sound of the knee is known as crepitus. You may hear crepitus as a crackling, popping, or grinding sound when getting up from a chair, squatting, or bending over to pick something up. Any joint other than the knee may make a sound. If the knee pops, you can probably feel the wear or cracking under the hand by placing your hand on the knee when bending and straightening the knee. Griptus knees can be a sign of knee osteoarthritis or a condition called chondromalacia, which are usually painful. If crepitus is without pain, swelling, or other knee symptoms, there is usually no cause for concern. Crepitus in a normal knee can be due to pressure changes in the synovial fluid inside the joint capsule of the knee. These pressure changes cause gasses dissolved in the synovial fluid to mix and form bubbles. When the bubbles burst, they make a popping sound. These pressure changes are due to excessive stretching of the joint. Sometimes, by moving the foot, the tendons and ligaments are slightly dislocated. You may hear the ligaments and tendons click as they snap back into place. Increasing the length of muscles and tendons by stretching after exercise helps prevent this problem. These causes of popping knees are usually not a cause for concern. Knee pain and noise Knee noises are not necessarily a sign of knee problems, but those accompanied by other signs and symptoms such as knee pain, swelling, stiffness, or decreased range of motion require evaluation. Crepitus and knee pain may be a sign of osteoarthritis in the knee or a condition called chondromalacia. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage covering the end of the femur and lower leg is damaged. Cartilage absorbs shock when the legs move. Chondromalacia is more common in younger people, especially runners. It is caused by inflammation of the cartilage and usually gets worse when going up or down stairs or squatting. Chondromalacia is more common in women, because their kneecaps are more likely to be misaligned when walking or exercising. Read more: Knee injury and weakness: How do injuries become chronic? ### When to go to the doctor to sound the knee If the pain is accompanied by a sound, it's time to see a doctor. The sound of grinding, bumping or cracking can mean that the bones are rubbing together, and the cause is probably the degeneration of the cartilage or the tear of the meniscus. Swelling along with knee noise is also one of the signs of arthritis or other degenerative problems. With early diagnosis, the doctor may be able to use more treatment options. Patellofemoral pain syndrome or runner's knee causes pain behind the kneecap and sometimes causes knee pain and popping noises. Also, see a doctor if the noises started after a knee injury and don't go away after one to three days of RICE treatment, which is rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the knee. Treatment of knee noise There are many ways to treat knee pain. The following are the best methods for this purpose: One of the best ways to reduce knee pain and noise is to rest the knees and put ice on them. Then keep your legs up. Repeat this cycle for a few days. ### Use of anti-inflammatory drugs Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can reduce pain. ### Strengthening the knee with stretching movements With physiotherapy and stretching exercises, it is possible to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstring muscles and reduce knee pain. ### Orthopedic knee surgery If the knee problem is due to a meniscus tear, anterior cruciate ligament tear, or medial collateral ligament tear, the specialist will likely recommend surgery. ### Use of bandaging To prevent further swelling and bleeding, a little pressure can be applied to the knee joint using elastic bandages. Read more: Knee orthopedics in Shiraz What is the best way to treat knee pain? How to cure the knocking sound in the knees definitively, so that we don't have to worry about it anymore. First of all, you should be very careful in choosing an orthopedic doctor, and choose the best knee specialist for treatment. The knee specialist, after a complete examination of the knees and according to the physical condition of each person, chooses the best treatment method for him. The worst action is arbitrary treatment without medical supervision, which can lead to more serious problems and cause dangerous complications. For this reason, if your knees make noise and become painful, we recommend that you visit a knee specialist to solve the problem as soon as possible and prevent further knee damage.