09/08/2026
Noisy Knees in Yoga: Should We Be Concerned? 🤔
Have you ever noticed that your knees make noise when you move into a deep squat (malasana) or other flexed-knee positions in yoga? Maybe a crackling, popping, or grinding sound?
This phenomenon – called “knee crepitus” – is incredibly common, but it often causes concern.
A brand-new new systematic review in BJSM (British Journal of Sports Medicine) just investigated how prevalent knee crepitus is and whether it’s linked to structural knee changes.
And as yoga body geeks 🤓, we should know about this research!
Here’s what the researchers found and what it means for us as yoga practitioners:
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WHAT IS KNEE CREPITUS?
Knee crepitus refers to the sounds (crackling, popping, grinding) that can occur when the knee moves. While the exact cause isn’t fully understood, common explanations include:
🔹The collapse of air bubbles within the joint (similar to cracking your knuckles).
🔹Tendons or soft tissues moving over bony structures.
🔹Structural changes within the knee joint.
Sometimes, people assume that noisy knees are a sign of damage or dysfunction, but is that really the case?
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WHAT DID THE NEW STUDY FIND?
A systematic review analyzing 103 studies with over 36,000 participants found that knee crepitus is extremely common – even in people without knee pain or injury. Specifically:
🔹41% of the general population has knee crepitus.
🔹36% of uninjured, pain-free people experience it.
🔹81% of people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) have it.
🔹Knee crepitus was associated with a higher likelihood of structural changes like osteophytes and cartilage damage, but it was not necessarily a cause for concern.
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STRUCTURAL CHANGES DON’T ALWAYS MEAN PAIN OR DYSFUNCTION
While structural changes in the knee (like cartilage wear, bone marrow lesions, or meniscal tears) can be associated with pain, research has shown that they are often present in people with completely pain-free, fully functional knees.
For example, one study using high-resolution MRI found that 97% of asymptomatic adults (yes, 97%! 🤯) had at least one abnormality in their knee joint – including meniscal tears, cartilage wear, and even ligament issues – yet they had no pain or dysfunction (Horga et al., 2020).
This is a reminder that finding “damage” on an MRI doesn’t automatically mean you’ll have pain or movement problems. The body is resilient, pain is multifactorial, and tissues adapt over time.
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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOGA PRACTITIONERS?
In yoga, knee crepitus often becomes noticeable during knee flexion – like malasana (deep squat) and utkatasana (chair pose). Many yogis worry that these sounds indicate damage, but based on this research, we know that:
✅ Knee noises are normal – many pain-free, uninjured people experience them.
✅ Despite being associated with underlying structural changes, knee noises *in and of themselves* may not be a direct cause for concern
✅ Exercise (including yoga!) is one of the best evidence-based treatments for knee osteoarthritis – so movement is a good thing!
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WHEN SHOULD ONE BE CONCERNED?
If knee crepitus is accompanied by pain, swelling, or a recent injury, it’s time to see a medical professional. Otherwise, if one’s knees are simply noisy but pain-free, there’s no inherent need to worry – just keep moving!
➡️ Have you ever noticed knee crepitus in your yoga practice (or daily life)? Did it ever make you concerned? Let me know in the comments!
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REFS:
Couch, Jamon L., et al. "Noisy knees-knee crepitus prevalence and association with structural pathology: a systematic review and meta-analysis." British journal of sports medicine 59.2 (2025): 126-132.
Horga, Laura M., et al. "Prevalence of abnormal findings in 230 knees of asymptomatic adults using 3.0 T MRI." Skeletal radiology 49 (2020): 1099-1107.
