Here’s the Real Reason Our Joints Crackle When We Wake Up in the Morning—And It’s Not (Always) About Age
One weird part of getting older is that at some point, it starts to take a little more effort to get going in the morning—and not just because we could probably use stand to hit the snooze button one more time. Our morning movements might become a little slower, a little more deliberate and even a little louder. Yep, that’s your ankles, knuckles, knees and necks crackling like a campfire.
Now, before you think I just called you ancient, some people just naturally have joints that crack as they move. My editor, for example, swears she was simply born that way and could never sneak up on her parents as a child, especially when walking down the stairs first thing in the morning.
So is this crackling OK, or is it a cause for concern? And why does it generally become more pronounced as we age? I spoke with Pamela Mehta, MD, a California-based orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician, to find out. Read on to learn the cause of those snaps, crackles and pops, as well as when they’re perfectly normal and when they could be a problem.
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How common is this crackling sound?
Very common! It even has a name: crepitus. (Which is a lot less awful than it sounds, I promise.) Crepitus can occur in virtually any body part with a joint, though it’s most common in the knees, shoulders, neck, ankles and knuckles, according to Dr. Mehta, who runs Resilience Orthopedics in San Jose, California. “You’ll hear it more in the first few movements you make in the morning because your joints feel stiffer after a night of not moving,” she explains. “Once you’re warmed up, this usually quiets down.”
Knee crepitus affects about 41% of the general population, but how often it occurs in other joints hasn’t been well established and isn’t as well researched. But we do know crepitus increases with age, since the lubricating cartilage between bony joints that keeps them moving smoothly (and quietly) wears away.
“It’s more common as we get older, because cartilage thins over time and your joints are stiffer and less elastic, so there is more for the joint to catch on,” Dr. Mehta says.
What causes this?
There are several possible reasons your joints sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies in the morning.
Gas inside your joints
When we experience crepitus during our first movements of the morning, it’s usually because of gas in the synovial fluid. This fluid reduces friction between the bones in our joints.
“It’s often a tiny gas bubble releasing in the fluid that lubricates the joint,” Dr. Mehta says. “You can hear it, and you can sometimes feel it if you place your hand over the joint.”
Hypermobility
When people have extra-flexible joints and a greater range of motion, they might experience more crepitus than others. “Muscle weakness or imbalances can also sometimes play a part,” Dr. Mehta says. “Many people find that the more they build balanced muscles around the joint, the less they notice it.”
Age-related wear and tear
As Dr. Mehta mentioned, the cracking in our joints tends to get more pronounced the older we get because our cartilage wears away and our joints get stiffer. “Arthritis is also more common as you age, and it can make the noise more noticeable,” Dr. Mehta says.
Movement of ligaments or tendons
“A duller click or snap can be a tendon flicking over a bone, especially if it happens at the same point every time during a certain movement,” Dr. Mehta explains. Don’t worry—that kind of snap is usually normal and harmless. Tendons run close to bony points, and at a certain angle, a tendon can catch on the edge and then flick over it. The outside of the hip is common for this, especially when you swing out your leg or get up from a chair.
Osteoarthritis
People who have osteoarthritis are more likely to experience crepitus (including 81% of people with knee arthritis), but the grinding or popping joints does not mean that you already have—or will someday definitely have—arthritis. “A grinding or or gravelly feeling, especially behind the kneecap, can be linked to changes in the cartilage,” Dr. Mehta says. “But it doesn’t always mean something is damaged.”
Injury
A previous injury to a joint makes it more likely that you’ll have crepitus in that spot. “You’re more likely to notice it in a joint you’ve injured before, such as a knee with a meniscus tear or a shoulder that has dislocated,” Dr. Mehta says.
Is this the same thing as cracking your knuckles?
Basically, yes, says Dr. Mehta. When we crack our knuckles, that satisfying pop we hear and feel is from the release of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid as the joint is stretched. “You’ll notice you can’t crack the same knuckle again right away,” she explains. “The gas needs time to dissolve back into the fluid.”
But the big difference between crepitus and knuckle-cracking is that crepitus is involuntary. Knuckle-cracking is a deliberate action we choose to take.
Is this bad for your joints?
Luckily, those pops and cracks aren’t necessarily bad for your joints, even though they might sound like grinding gears on a manual transmission. Instead of worrying too much about how the joint sounds, pay attention to how the joints feel.
“If it doesn’t hurt, it’s usually nothing to worry about,” Dr. Mehta says. “The noise itself isn’t an issue. But if you feel pain, swelling or stiffness, especially if it’s getting worse over time, see an orthopedic doctor. I’d also want to see you if the joint locks, catches or gives way, or if this is a new thing that came on suddenly or after injury.”
It rarely requires emergency attention, but Dr. Mehta says to get care promptly if a joint becomes very swollen or if you can’t put weight on it after an injury. A hot, swollen joint with a fever, however, needs urgent care.
Is there any way to get prevent this?
You might not be able to rid yourself of crepitus altogether, but it is possible to improve it. As long as those snaps, crackles and pops aren’t associated with any other symptoms, focusing on movement and strengthening your joints and muscles should help.
“Patients who build up their thigh and hip strength often find their knees feel better, even if the noise doesn’t fully go away,” Dr. Mehta says. “Strong muscles take pressure off the joint.”
You can do this with physical therapy, a strength-training routine in the gym, or bodyweight exercises (like squats and lunges) mixed with moderate cardio. Being at a healthy weight also takes the load off your knees and hips.
Sources:
- Pamela Mehta, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine physician and founder of Resilience Orthopedics; email interview, Oct. 23, 2026
- Cleveland Clinic:“Popping Joints: Crepitus and What Causes It”
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: “Noisy knees — knee crepitus prevalence and association with structural pathology: a systematic review and meta-analysis”
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology: “Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing”
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