Are Your Joints Frightening You?

By Sara Butler

It’s October and you know what that means -- it’s Halloween season. Many people revel in the frights and fun of October, I know I love a good haunted house. But as you’re walking down the hall and you hear some creepy, spooky sounds following you, it may not be a ghost, but your joints. What does it mean when that sound isn’t coming from creaking hinges in doorless chambers, but your knees? Finding out may give you a fright because your joints can be far spookier than any haunted house!

You’re Getting Older

The fact of the matter is that as you get closer and closer to the Crypt Keeper, your joints can become louder. Cracking ankles, snapping knees, popping necks -- it can be enough to scare any person no matter the season. But is it something you need to be concerned about?

The chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic know that these strange sounds emanating from your joints can be a bit freaky, but most of the time they’re harmless. Sure, you might give yourself a fright as you’re walking down the stairs, but most of the time those noises are pretty normal. There are exceptions, of course.

As long as the strange sounds coming from the spaces where your body bends aren’t coupled with swelling and pain, then you should be in the clear. If you do have pain associated with it or inflammation, then it’s time to see the chiropractors at The Joint for an evaluation.

Are Your Joints Haunted?

Chances are your joints aren’t possessed by the spirits of Dear Departed Brother Dave, who chased a bear into a cave (outside that Haunted Mansion), but what causes all that creaking and cracking in the first place?

As you get older, the cartilage in your joints gets more worn through the daily movements in your life. The surface of the cartilage gets a bit rougher and, as you move your joints, the rough surfaces rub together to create all those spooky sounds.

The sounds coming from your joints can also come and go depending on a number of factors; how you sleep, how you sit, and how you move make a difference. Tight muscles can also come into play because they can cause friction and rubbing between the bones in the joints and create some snapping or clicking sounds. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make gentle stretching a part of your everyday routine. If you need some suggestions for great stretches that won’t have your shrieking in terror, talk to the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic.

What You Can Do

If you want to try to avoid inadvertently frightening yourself this Halloween season (or any season) with popping joints, then work as much movement as you can into your day. Motion is like lotion and the more you move, the more your joints will self-lubricate and move a bit smoother.

We here at The Joint Chiropractic hope you have a happy Halloween season in which the only sounds that echo through your halls are the ghouls and ghosts hiding around the corner -- and not your hips. If the noises coming from your joints are giving you a chill, then don’t forget that the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic are always dying to see you!

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