Clicks and clunks are of no clinical diagnostic use, nor do they serve as a clinically useful measure of severity. They appear to be more prominent in patients with back pain who experience early morning stiffness.

The painless noise in your joints or ligaments is both common and quite normal. The synovial fluid lubricates and protects the joints. Over time, gases can build up in these areas which are released when the joint is being used. Thus, the pops and cracks. A chiropractor can manually induce these pops. So, getting your back “cracked” is more like getting your joint fluid popped. The noises will probably increase with age, but are generally not a cause for concern in the absence of pain.

The sound you hear can be caused by air bubbles in the synovial fluid as discussed above or by the snapping of tightly stretched ligaments as they slide off one bony surface onto another. Bones and joints can make grinding, creaking, clicking, popping and other noises, which can occur at any age but become more common as we get older. If you’re just hearing some noise and there’s no pain, swelling or other symptoms, don’t be alarmed. If you are having other symptoms, you should get it checked out.

The underlying issue with noisy joints may relate to tendons (which connect muscle to bone), ligaments (which connect bones to other bones), or cartilage (the smooth covering over the ends of bones in joints). The knee generally is the noisiest joint, but other joints can also develop sounds, including the hip, shoulder, neck and spine.

Here are some possible reasons for the noise:

• A tendon or ligament may snap over a bony
• A ligament can tighten with
• Air bubbles inside the joint can
• Muscle tightness in the neck can cause it to grind with
• Cartilage can wear away, causing rough This is osteoarthritis and it can result in the bones no longer gliding smoothly against each other. As a result, the joint can make a grinding or crunching sound.

Air bubbles

As mentioned, ‘the clicking within a joint can be caused by a number of things, most commonly it is caused by air bubbles that pop and produce a clicking noise. Clicking joints become more common with age, it is natural for your joints to make a noise, however; as long as this is not followed by pain or swelling, there is no cause for concern.

Ligaments

Other causes can be the tendons or ligaments snapping back into place, this can be quite painful. Imagine putting an elastic band around your wrist and pulling it and letting go, your ligament will make a similar movement and noise as a result of snapping back into place.

General wear and tear can also contribute to the clicking noise, as cartilage naturally wears away, there becomes more movement within your joints which will result in more sounds.

Are clicking joints bad?

As a general rule clicking joints don’t often allude to any serious underlying issues but there are certain conditions which lead to an uptick in clicking or cracking. ‘Hypermobility, for instance, is characterised by the ability to move joints beyond their normal range of motion. Clicking is more common because joints can stretch further apart, allowing an air cavity to form.

I would say to avoid clicking your neck and back yourself; this is really something an osteopath/chiropractor should do. Constantly clicking your back can lead to hypermobility and instability within the joints which can, in turn, lead to more pain as the muscles get tighter in order to support the joints.’

How do I stop my joints from clicking?

While they’re often no cause for concern, as with so many elements of wellness, they can be helped with daily movement. Movement is one of the best ways of preventing clicking. The more you move throughout the day, the more your body lubricates itself. Sitting in the same position for hours means the fluid in your joints doesn’t move either. Regular exercise to maintain healthy joints and keep muscles strong is essential. Excess body weight can also lead to joint problems so maintaining a healthy diet alongside regular movement will do your body a world of good.

Are clicking joints a sign of arthritis?

It’s a common misconception that clicking joints are an early sign of arthritis (but this is not always the case.) Osteoarthritis can affect the movement of a joint, causing a crackling sensation as the smooth surfaces inside the joint become rougher.

Can arthritis cause clicking joints, though?

Yes, noisy joints can be the result of arthritis due to wear and tear of the cartilage and tissue within the joint. Interestingly, the pitch of the clicking noise can indicate which type of arthritis your joints could be suffering from. For example, high-pitched clicking sounds can indicate inflammatory arthritis, whereas low-pitched clicking noises can indicate either inflammatory or non-inflammatory arthritis. However, to the untrained ear, this can be very difficult to distinguish between and will usually require a specialist to listen to the different pitches of the clicks.

The vast majority of people with clicking joints do not have any underlying disease. However, there are some specific conditions where people might have a general increase in clicking joints – think osteoarthritis or being hypermobile. But, just because you have clicking joints, it does not mean that you are at a higher risk of either of these conditions.

People with severe hypermobility syndromes may experience a clunking sound when their joints dislocate but they will also have a number of other significant symptoms.