Noisy knee joints 'may be a sign of osteoarthritis'
People whose knee joints make audible noises when they move may be at a greater risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.
This is according to a new study from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, which indicated that grating, cracking or popping sounds in or around their knee joint may be an early warning sign of the disease.
A clear association
The research, published in the medical journal Arthritis Care & Research, aimed to examine whether hearing these kinds of sounds from the joints - a condition known as subjective crepitus - could be associated with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
Data was drawn from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a US observational study of 3,495 participants, to assess crepitus frequency among people who were at high risk for developing knee osteoarthritis.
Among those who developed crepitus within a year, more than 75 per cent had signs of osteoarthritis on radiographic images - despite experiencing no frequent knee pain - at the start of the study.
A useful warning sign?
This is a potentially important discovery, as many of the early signs of osteoarthritis start to set in before the individual feels any pain, meaning it is unlikely that they will seek treatment. Noisy knees could therefore represent a useful early warning sign.
Study leader Dr Grace Lo, an assistant professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said: "This study suggests that if these people have noisy knees, they are at higher risk for developing pain within the next year, compared with the people who do not have noisy knees.
"Future studies that target people who have X-ray signs of osteoarthritis, who do not complain of pain but do report noisy knees hold the promise of identifying interventions that can prevent knee pain."
Arthritis Research UK's view
Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK, said: "Osteoarthritis of the knee affects more than four million people in the UK and can cause daily pain and fatigue.
"We know that some of the first signs of osteoarthritis, other than pain and stiffness, can be a creaking, crunching or grinding sensation when you move the joint. Osteoarthritis of the knee affects different people in different ways, so we can't predict how it'll progress. That's why early detection is important in finding more effective treatment.
"The findings of this study highlight the importance of looking at symptoms other than just pain and stiffness. If anyone does experience pain or stiffness in their joints, we would advise them to speak to their GP."