New Delhi: Health experts in the city warned that a grating sound in your knee joints, which is also known as knee crepitus, might be a predictor of an impending osteoarthritis problem.
Dinesh Yadav, 52, used to hear cracking sounds from his knees whenever he sat or stood up. At first, he did not pay much attention, considering it to be a regular sign of ageing.
It was only when he started experiencing pain in the knees along with the noises he went to a doctor and his x-ray and blood test reports revealed that Mr Yadav was suffering from osteoarthritis.
According to health experts, osteoarthritis in the knee is estimated to affect as many as 29 per cent of the Indian population and, meanwhile, some conservative studies report that more than 18 crore people suffer from arthritis in the country and India is likely to become the arthritis capital of the world by 2025 if the present trend was to continue.
A recent study revealed that if you frequently experience a cracking or creaking sound when you flex your leg or stretch out after a run — a snap, crackle or pop in your knee joints — do not ignore it. It ight be a problem of knee crepitus, which might be a predictor of an impending arthritis problem.
Senior consultant orthopedic surgeon, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Dr Maninder Shah Singh explains that as the cartilage between the bones gets damaged over time, the underlying bony surface, which contains nerve endings becomes exposed leading to formation of a rough surface which gives rise to the grating noise with movement also referred to as knee crepitus.
“These noises in the joints are common and usually painless, but they indicate the risk of arthritis. People who experience noisy knees, with or without any pain, must report immediately to their doctor. Identifying the risk factors for arthritis in time can assist in early diagnosis and better treatment”, said Dr Singh.
The new study however strongly suggests that people who sometimes have creaky knees are twice as likely to develop painful signs of arthritis within a year, while those who experience constant creaking are three times as likely.
