Clicking and cracking joints: is it harmful?
Why joints click and pop, whether cracking your knuckles or back causes arthritis, and when clicking is worth getting checked.
Joints click, pop and crack for lots of reasons, and in most people it is harmless. The sound is a very common reason people worry about arthritis, and it is also the source of the popular idea that osteopaths and chiropractors 'put things back in place'. Here is what is known.
When to get urgent help
Go to A&E or call 999 if you have any of these. They can be signs of a fracture, infection, blood clot or other emergency.
- A limb that looks deformed, or a joint that you cannot move or put weight on after an injury
- A cold, pale or numb foot or hand after injury
- A hot, red, swollen joint with a high temperature
- A painful, swollen, warm calf, with or without breathlessness or chest pain
What it can feel like
- A painless click, pop or crack when you move, stretch or crack a joint on purpose
- Noise from the knees on squatting or stairs, or from the neck and back with movement
- A snapping feeling over the hip or knee as tendons slide over bone
- Noise accompanied by pain, swelling, locking or giving way, which is different
Common contributors
- Gas bubbles forming and popping in the lubricating joint fluid when the surfaces are pulled apart. Scientists think this is behind the sound when you crack a knuckle
- Tendons or ligaments passing over a bony bump
- Roughening of joint surfaces with age, which is common and not necessarily a problem
- Often no cause is found
General self-care
These are general comfort measures many people find reasonable. They are not a treatment plan, and what suits one person may not suit another.
- If a click does not hurt, it is not usually a cause for concern and you do not need to stop moving
- Regular movement and strength work are good for joints
- If you like cracking your knuckles, note that studies have not found it causes arthritis
- A joint that clicks and is painful, swollen, locks or gives way should be checked
- Gentle movement and building strength around a noisy joint is the usual advice
When to see your GP
See your GP promptly, or call NHS 111, if you have any of the following:
- Pain after a significant injury, fall or twist
- Pain that is constant, severe or getting worse, or wakes you at night
- Unexplained weight loss, fever or feeling generally unwell with limb pain
Consider seeing your GP if:
- Clicking with pain, swelling or stiffness you cannot explain that does not clear up within a few days
- A joint that locks, gives way, or becomes painful to touch
- Hand or finger swelling or stiffness. Arthritis UK advises seeing your GP, as earlier diagnosis and treatment tend to lead to better outcomes
Where an osteopath fits in
There is limited good-quality research showing that hands-on treatment changes the course of clicking and cracking joints, so I do not claim that osteopathy treats it.
What an osteopath can usefully do is assess a joint that clicks and hurts to work out why, and explain what is and is not a concern. When an osteopath moves a joint and you hear a pop, the sound is the same kind of gas release as cracking a knuckle. It is not a bone going back into place. If the assessment suggests you need your GP, a physiotherapist or a specialist instead, I will tell you.
If you would like your symptoms assessed, you are welcome to book an appointment. Osteopathic care is not right for everyone, and if something needs medical attention first, I will tell you.
Common questions
Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?
Arthritis UK says no. A doctor who cracked the knuckles of only one hand for more than 60 years found no difference in arthritis between his hands, and other studies have found no link. A 1990 study of 300 patients did find that habitual knuckle crackers had more hand swelling and a weaker grip.
Why can't I crack the same knuckle straight away?
Arthritis UK says the bubbles in the joint fluid take around half an hour to re-form, which is why you cannot crack the same knuckle again straight away.
Sources and further reading
Links open in a new tab. Sources were checked in October 2026.
Related guides
This page is general information to help you understand common aches and pains. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose your problem. If you are worried about your symptoms, please speak to your GP or call NHS 111.