The symptom of joint cracking is described differently by different people while nevertheless representing the same condition. Various descriptions for the same process include "popping," "exploding," "noise," "snapping," and "creaking" of a joint. The cause of joint cracking depends on a number of conditions. Situational information that is essential in detecting the cause of joint popping includes whether it a singular episode of sounds coming from the joint or if it is a repeatable, recurrent event.
Joint popping that occurs once only is sometimes a result of injury to the joint. Such causes of joint popping include ligament strain or ligament tear, tendon strain or tendon tear (tendon rupture), broken bone (fracture), and joint dislocation.
Joint popping that occurs repeatedly, sometimes intentionally, can be caused by harmless events, such as knuckle cracking or snapping of a tendon over a protruding bony prominence. Repeated joint popping can also be caused by conditions that represent more serious joint status, such as a cartilage tear from a torn meniscus or degenerated cartilage from arthritis (osteoarthritis).
The most common joint to be associated with joint cracking is the knee joint.
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16 Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Signs & Symptoms
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Broken Bone
A broken bone is a fracture. There are different types of fractures, such as: compressed, open, stress, greenstick, spiral, vertebral compression, compound, and comminuted. Symptoms of a broken bone include pain at the site of injury, swelling, and bruising around the area of injury. Treatment of a fracture depends on the type and location of the injury.
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Dislocated Shoulder
The shoulder is the most often dislocated joint in the body due to its mobility. A dislocation occurs when the head of the humerus is dislocated from its socket. Symptoms and signs of a shoulder dislocation include nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness, weakness, and sweating. There are various methods of reducing a dislocation and returning the humeral head to its normal place. The method for reduction of a shoulder dislocation depends upon the type of dislocation, the patient, the situation, and the clinician's experience. Intravenous narcotics and muscle relaxants are often administered to relax the muscles and relieve pain.
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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are genetic disorders that include symptoms such as loose joints, tissue weakness, easy bruising, and skin that stretches easily. There are seven types of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes: classical type, hypermobility type, vascular type, kyphoscoliosis type, arthrochalsia type, dermatosparaxis type, and tenascin-X deficient type. Treatment for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes depends on which symptoms and signs are present.
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Hypermobility Syndrome
Joint hypermobility syndrome is a condition in which the joints easily move beyond the normal range expected for a particular joint. The condition tends to run in families. Symptoms of hypermobility syndrome include joint pain. People with hypermobility syndrome are more susceptible to injury, including dislocations and sprains. Anti-inflammatory drugs can help with joint pain. Exercise can strengthen muscles, providing stability.
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Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage in the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
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Osteochondritis Dissecans
With osteochondritis dissecans, bone and its adjacent cartilage loses its blood supply. Though osteochondritis dissecans can involve any joint's bone and cartilage, elbows and knees are most commonly affected. Though there is no known cure, arthroscopic surgery is frequently performed to remove the damaged cartilage and bone tissue from the joint.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Early RA signs and symptoms include anemia, both sides of the body affected (symmetric), depression, fatigue, fever, joint deformity, joint pain, joint redness, joint stiffness, joint swelling, joint tenderness, joint warmth, limping, loss of joint function, loss of joint range of motion, and polyarthritis.
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Sprains and Strains
An injury to a ligament is called a sprain, and an injury to muscle or tendon is called a strain. Sprains and strains may be caused by repetitive movements or a single stressful incident. Symptoms and signs include pain and swelling. Though treatment depends upon the extent and location of the injury, rest, ice, compression, and elevation are key elements of treatment.
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Torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear)
The anterior cruciate ligament helps to prevent the top and bottom of the knee from sliding back and forth. Symptoms and signs of a torn ACL include knee pain and swelling. Treatment of a torn ACL depends upon the health of the patient and the patient's expectations and willingness to undertake extensive physical therapy. Rehabilitation after surgical repair of an ACL tear may take more than nine months.
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Torn Meniscus
A torn meniscus (knee cartilage) may be caused by suddenly stopping, sharply twisting, or deep squatting or kneeling when lifting heavy weight. Symptoms of a meniscal tear include pain with running or walking long distances, popping when climbing stairs, a giving way sensation, locking, or swelling. Treatment depends upon the severity, location, and underlying disease of the knee joint.
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