Yes, the knuckles usually are air popping. People with larger knuckles usually can pop them more easily. Smaller fingers have less room for air.

mine is a snapping as the tendon moves across the bone. Sometimes it hurts so bad, makes me wonna cry. Going up stairs or getting up from a low chair cause the knee to have to move through a range of motion with pressure on it. When the range of motion is 45-90degrees (or even less when flared up), causes tendon to snap and pain is very bad. It causes my knee to sublux to the lateral side. Because of that, for awhile I used to think my knee "popped" out of place when going upstairs, etc. After living with it for 15 years, I realized it was a tendon above my knee cap that snaps as it crosses a bone during flexion of the knee.

There are alot of nerve endings in tendons. That is why they hurt so much when strained.

Could be entrapment of the cartilage in the knee. Sometimes when there is a tear in the meniscus (cartilage) it can cause popping or even for the joint to temporarily lock up.

I am roaming around through old posts and wondering if anyone has any thoughts about mild "crunching" sounds.

All my life, even as a kid, I could make crunching sounds if I did deep knee bends. Now they are a little louder and more often as I exercise. It's one of those borderline situations: maybe this is normal and not anything to worry about or maybe I am doing some damage as I continue to exercise.

It isn't a bold popping or snapping sound, just a low level crunching.

I asked my physio but they just seemed to hem and haw and not say much either way.

My main concern is whether I am doing long term damage or whether it's just part of exercising or will lessen as I exercise more.

Any thoughts?

Natalie

Hi Natalie,
That sounds like crepitus to me. I don't think I would be overly concerned since you have had it since you were a child.

Your not saying it causes you any pain but if you are concerned speak to your doctor about. I'm surprised that your PT could not answer the question for you.

I also don't think exercise should make it worse for you. Think about how active we are as children and you have here this since childhood.

Hopeful

Thanks for your thoughts. I just wanted to learn about it because it is getting more common and slightly noisier since I've become less active and am trying to start exercising.