Do your knees crack when you sit down?

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When cracking is harmless

Many people hear a crack when they stand up or squat. If there is no pain, swelling or stiffness, it is usually just gas bubbles in the joint fluid or tendons moving over bone, and it is nothing to worry about.

When it can be a warning sign

A grinding or crackling feeling (called crepitus) that comes with pain, stiffness after sitting, difficulty climbing stairs or occasional swelling can be an early sign of osteoarthritis, where the cartilage cushioning the joint slowly wears down. Catching it early gives you more options to protect the joint.

How Ayurveda sees it

Ayurveda links crackling, dry, painful joints to aggravated Vata, the dosha of dryness and movement, and calls wear-and-tear arthritis Sandhigata Vata. Treatment aims to calm Vata and nourish the joint, with internal medicines, local oil therapies and diet and routine changes.

Everyday steps to protect your knees

• Keep moving: regular walking and gentle exercise keep joints flexible
• Strengthen the thigh muscles, which take load off the knee
• Keep a healthy weight; every extra kilo adds load on the knees
• Avoid long periods of squatting or kneeling if they hurt
• Prefer warm, freshly cooked food and avoid long gaps between meals, which aggravate Vata

Knee pain or stiffness? Read about our Ayurvedic care for knee pain and arthritis, or book a consultation.

General information only, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a consultation. See our medical disclaimer. More health tips.