When to Worry – and When Not To
As a parent, it can be unnerving to hear your child’s knees, hips, ankles, or shoulders clicking especially if it’s frequent or loud.
Is something wrong with their joints? Could it be early arthritis? Will it affect their sport or activity?
The good news is that in most cases, joint clicking in children is completely normal and harmless.
Here’s what’s going on — and when it’s worth getting it checked.
Common Causes of Clicking Joints
Clicking, popping, or cracking sounds are surprisingly common in growing children. The usual culprits include:
Ligaments or tendons moving – Soft tissues can flick or rub over bony areas, especially during growth phases.
Growth spurts – Bones may lengthen faster than muscles or tendons, making joints temporarily looser or more awkward.
Hypermobility – Some children are naturally more flexible (“double-jointed”), which can lead to more frequent clicks.
Gas bubbles in joints – Like cracking knuckles, harmless pops can occur when small gas bubbles in joint fluid collapse.
If the clicking is painless and doesn’t limit activity, it’s usually nothing to worry about.
🚩 Red Flags – When to Seek Medical Advice
While most clicks are innocent, certain signs mean it’s worth getting checked :
Pain (especially deep joint pain)
Swelling, redness, or warmth around the joint
Stiffness or locking (joint “getting stuck”)
Instability (joint giving way during activity)
Clicking starting after a specific injury or fall
Loss of movement or change in walking/running style
If any of these occur, a clinical assessment is important to rule out cartilage damage, ligament injury, or inflammatory causes.
What Happens in Clinic with @nevtheknee?
As a children’s orthopaedic specalist I start with a detailed history and a careful physical examination and will check for swelling, tenderness, stability, and range of movement.
In many cases, reassurance is all that’s needed.
If there are concerns, we sometimes arrange:
X-rays – to look at bone growth and alignment
MRI scans – to assess cartilage, ligaments, and other soft tissues if pain or locking is present
What You Can Do at Home
For painless clicking joints:
Keep your child active — healthy movement helps joints stay strong
Mix activities to avoid repetitive strain, especially during growth spurts
Encourage muscle strength in hips, thighs, and core
Reassure your child — noisy joints aren’t always unhealthy joints!
The Bottom Line
Growing bodies are noisy. In most cases, joint clicks in children are part of normal development — especially when there’s no pain, swelling, or change in function.
If your child’s clicking joints are causing pain, affecting sport, or have changed suddenly after an injury, it’s worth a specialist check for peace of mind.
Nev Davies – Consultant Children’s Knee Surgeon
Helping kids keep moving — pain-free, strong, and confident.
