10 Symptoms of Knee Pain

5. Popping and Crunching Noises

Crepitus or noisy joints usually falls into one of three categories. Pain-free popping is when a joint makes a noise unaccompanied by any pain or discomfort. This could be due to gas bubbles bursting or stretched tendons or ligaments snapping over a bony lump. Noisy joints are more common in the elderly because the cartilage wears as part of the aging process, and the bony surfaces rub against each other. Painful popping often occurs at the time of injury and most likely indicates a damaged or torn ligament in the knee from twisting suddenly.