Too young for 'crunching' knees?

[LakeGeneva1]

Today is a rare child free day thanks to my amazing MIL. The house is so quiet I can actually hear myself think… and apparently my knees. 😬

I went upstairs to grab something and wait for it… my knees started making the crunching crackling sounds. At first I thought it was the floorboards… but no, it was me. My own knees!

I concentrated on it and it sounded exactly like scrunching crisp wrappers with every step down. 🤯

I’m 47, mum of two (8 and 9), quite slim, no knee pain at all… but suddenly I’m panicking about early onset osteoarthritis. I thought I was too young for this!

Honestly, I’m starting to think it’s from running after my boys all day and going up and down the stairs a million times. My knees have been working overtime.

Some reading tells me crunchy knees are actually pretty normal as we get older. Gas bubbles in joint fluid, tendons moving over bone, small changes in cartilage… and it doesn’t always mean something is wrong.

My dad had really bad knees and needed steroid injections, but he was in his 70s! So I’m hoping mine aren’t heading there already…

Still, hearing my knees like crisp packets is a shock. So I’m asking other women around my age… are your knees crunching like mine? No pain, just that weird wrapper noise? Do you think there is anything I could do that might actually help? x

I am 59, this is the first time I have heard of crunchy knees. But take all of you PPs word on dit.

I take Omega 3 and have done for many years and have no aches or pains. I don’t ascribed it to just that because I do yoga and other lifestyle choices and am very active.

There are so many other dietary and exercise choices but supplements should be included I think, what have you got to loose?

Did you get this privately?

My knees are fucked. Been crunching pretty much my whole adult life. Have never been able to run more than 5k (and that hurt, a lot). I'm otherwise reasonably healthy and a BMI of 21

Mine make loads of crunchy sounds it’s embarrassing 🙈
especially bad going downstairs!

im 47 and had a hip replacement a few years ago due to dysplasia and arthritis so I think a lifetime of bad hip has fucked my knees too - no pain so far though…

I developed crunching during lockdown, I was 47 then, started with cycling. The good news is that apart from stiffness from either exercise or sitting still for an extended period of, it hasn’t got worse in 5 years, no pain

Im 30 and my knees crunch 😂 they’re very loud.

It’s called ‘crepitus’ which made me feel worse

I’ve had crunchy knees since I was about 25. I’m 42 now and do have some occasional discomfort but the female line of my family have all had bad knees too. I remember hearing the sound mine make now, when my mum would come up the stairs during my childhood!