Joints are the most important part of the human musculoskeletal system, it is on them that the mobility and connection of the bones of the skeleton depend. The sudden sounds that are heard during their work alarm a person, because normally there should be no noise. How to understand why the joint crunches? Is it disease related or physiological?
Physiological causes
Why do bones and joints crunch, is it always dangerous? Answer: no, there is a crunch that does not pose a danger to humans. The following processes can explain its appearance.
- Hypermobility of the joints. This phenomenon is considered a version of the norm when it comes to boys and girls. Crunch is a signal for the production of collagen fibers with a specific structure, more extensible. Perhaps heredity is to blame, causing the formation of fragile tissues. That's why joints crackle. Treatment in this case is not required. Thickening of the fibers occurs with age, but the process can also take pathological forms.
- Sharptraffic. As a result, the ligament touches the protruding part of the bone. There is no reason to worry.
- Concentration of carbon dioxide in the articular cavity. The gas, when receding, causes a squelching sound that takes the form of a joint crunch.
Pathological causes
It is worth making an appointment with a doctor if a crunch is present in a certain area, it is imperative to find out why the shoulder joints, elbows, and hips crunch. Also cause for concern are additional symptoms - inflammation, problems with mobility, swelling, pain, redness. All this together may indicate the presence of disease, inflammation, injury.
Risk group
The following groups of people are most likely to experience cracking joint disease:
- dancers, ballerinas;
- athletes (not only professionals, but also amateurs who devote a lot of time to sports and do not know how to calculate loads);
- obese people;
- specialists whose work is connected with the constant transfer, lifting of weights (loaders, builders);
- girls who stay in stiletto heels.
Those at risk should pay maximum attention to preventive measures. Then you won't have to come to the doctor with the question of why the bones and joints are crunching.
Wrong lifestyle
Sedentary lifestyle is one of the main factors in the development of joint crunch,occurrence of diseases. If a person's professional activity involves a constant long-term stay in one position (standing, sitting - does not play a role), he is in danger. An effective preventive measure is to give five minutes of movement at least once an hour - to walk around, do light gymnastics.
Troubles associated with the joints are well known to people with extra pounds. The main target is the spine, legs - that's why the joints on the legs crunch. Only getting rid of excess weight, regular exercise will provide a chance to fix everything. The development of arthrosis at the initial stage is easy to stop, there is even an opportunity to activate the growth of cartilage tissue.
Constantly wearing uncomfortable shoes, bad habits, unhe althy diet - all this also results in insufficient blood supply to tissues, organs, and can cause diseases related to the joints.
Inflammation, injury
The reason why the joints in the knees crackle can be an inflammatory process that occurs in the tendon (tendonitis), as well as inflammation of the periarticular bag (bursitis). If the tissues are inflamed, joint movements may be accompanied by a characteristic noise. Only an orthopedic doctor can determine the exact cause of the phenomenon.
Tendinitis manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- pain aggravated by rapid movements;
- local swelling;
- crunch.
Main manifestations of bursitis:
- redness;
- increased skin temperature;
- pain in the area of the bag;
- crunch.
A loud single crunch can indicate a rupture of a ligament, tendon (complete, partial), damage to the meniscus, a deep crack, a fracture. A number of sports lead to chronic injuries that cause unstable joints. In such a situation, a crunch can be safely called a warning about the threat of post-traumatic arthrosis, so it is very important to ask in a timely manner, for example, why the hip joint crunches.
Arthrosis
The main target of arthrosis is the knee and hip joints, it is also possible to damage the joints of the fingers and toes, the ankle. The disease announces itself with a hoarse, rough, dry crunch. With the development of arthrosis, the clarity of sound increases, the person feels pain. Crunching is not the only symptom of this disease.
- Pain, mostly from exertion, during movement. If the patient rests, remains motionless for some time, the pain subsides. If arthrosis becomes severe, sharp pains remind of it with every movement, do not stop for a long time.
- Stiffness in movement. The knee joints lose their flexibility, it is difficult to raise the legs high - this is how the onset of the disease looks like. More and more limited mobility follows.
- Deformation. Outgrowths (osteophytes) appear, deformedbones enclosed inside the joint, fluid accumulates there, leading to its “bursting”.
This is how the main symptoms of arthrosis look - one of the most common reasons why the joint crunches. Excess weight, leading to excessive load on the legs, is one of the main factors in the "wear" of the joint. Also, the seemingly harmless habit of crunching your fingers is a danger. There is an opinion that the disease primarily threatens the elderly, but representatives of the younger generation are not protected from it either.
Osteochondrosis
Another popular cause of “crunchy” joints is osteochondrosis, this disease is known to varying degrees by about 60% of people. Basically, the disease develops in individuals who adhere to a sedentary lifestyle. Also, a factor causing the deposition of s alts can be an incorrect potassium-calcium balance, an excess of calcium. Osteochondrosis, in addition to a crunch, can inform about itself with the following signs:
- numbness of limbs;
- pain in the joints;
- regular bouts of dizziness.
"Initial" osteochondrosis looks harmless, but its neglected form can lead to cerebrovascular accident, immobility (complete or partial). Prevention of osteochondrosis, its treatment at the initial stage is a balanced diet, an energetic lifestyle. All this will help to avoid the unpleasant question of why the joint crunches.
Ankylosis
This is the name of the restriction of joint mobility, which takespathological form, even complete immobility is possible. Crunch is one of the manifestations of this dangerous disease, which develops due to the fusion of the articular surfaces, which is caused by dystrophic processes, infection. The cause may also be intra-articular severe fractures, which entailed a violation of the articular surfaces. Ankylosis can be the result of prolonged wearing of a cast.
Sharp pain with ankylosis occurs with every attempt to move. It is possible to fight the disease only by surgery, while instead of a diseased joint, a prosthesis is installed.
Teens crunch
The ligamentous apparatus of a teenager does not keep up with the rapid development of his bone tissue, the production of joint fluid is delayed, resulting in an unpleasant crunch. You should not be afraid of this, this signal only informs about the spasmodic development that the youthful organism is experiencing. Crunch in this case is absolutely not a threat.
Crunching in children
Parents of infants often encounter such a phenomenon as the sounds made by the baby's joints. For example, a mother or father is engaged in developing gymnastics with a child, take him in his arms, while clicking, a slight crunch are heard. Why do babies have crunchy joints, should I be worried about this?
The most common cause of the phenomenon is that the musculoskeletal system has not yet had time to form. In this case, there is no cause for concern, the strengthening of the system will occur withbaby's growth. Unfortunately, even very young children are not immune from a number of diseases and pathologies:
- joint hypermobility;
- dislocations, subluxations, dysplasia;
- rheumatism;
- reactive arthritis (due to infection);
- rheumatoid juvenile arthritis.
The parents of a baby up to a year old should worry in the following cases:
- long-term continuation of the crunch;
- appearance of asymmetric skin folds on the legs;
- clicks during extension, flexion;
- difficulties in hip separation (dislocation, subluxation);
- redness, swelling of the skin in the articular area;
- baby crying when crunching.
Even one of these signs should prompt medical advice.
Preventive measures
Prevention of joint crunch is the most important task, which is recommended to pay attention even to those who do not belong to the risk group and who are not yet interested in why the joint crunches. The following recipes from doctors help keep you he althy.
- Sedentary lifestyle is the main risk factor. Swimming, long walks, gymnastics are effective prevention. This does not mean that you need to set sports records - excess exercise is just as harmful as its absence.
- At least 2 liters of water should be consumed per day.
- It is allowed to stay in one position for a maximum of half an hour. Sedentary breaks protect against joint disease.
- The diet should bebalanced, it should contain a sufficient amount of fruits, vegetables.
- Regular visits to a professional massage therapist.
The appearance of a crunch in the joints may be a symptom of an illness that should be taken carefully.
