What Causes Excessive Cracking In Knees And Hip Area While Getting Up?

Posted on Fri, 12 Dec 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 Answered on

Mon, 29 Dec 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband is 82 years old and is in good health except he had an injury and broken pelvis about 10 years ago. When he gets up at night his bones are cracking in the knees and hip area making a lot of "noise", He says the cracking does not hurt. We really would like to know what is causing this cracking and what we can do make it stop. Thank you. XXXX

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need not to worry if there is no associated joint pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for your query.

As you describe the symptoms as painless loud crunching noise, I do not think we have any reasons to worry.

Sometimes as a normal phenomena, fluid (synovial fluid) that lubricate the joint release bubbles which pop and crackle with movement. This occurs very commonly after a period of inactivity or during certain movements. I am not sure if this is what you have, but this is my most likely explanation to your symptoms.

He need not to worry if there is no associated joint pain; but he has to do some conditioning exercises to improve the overall integrity of the joint - stronger muscle will take the weight of the joint and help to reduce the pressure on articulating surfaces, thus preventing any damage to the joint.

I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.

Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar