I recently had surgery on my ankle and have started walking again. I find when I stretch or move it, it cracks and pops a lot more then it ever did before. This doesn’t cause pain, and sometimes even feels nice, but what makes the noise?
In: 4417
Before I begin: not a doctor
I’ve seen several answers that say that these are bubbles popping in your joints. This was what was previously thought and is not the case anymore. [Recent MRI imaging](https://youtu.be/_ZNENkkf5Uw) has shown that this popping sound is actually the FORMATION of bubbles within your joint. This is why you get popping a lot more often with stretching, which leads to the formation of bubbles, than physical compressing activity, which would lead to the popping of the bubbles.
For example, when you pull on your fingers to pop them, you are creating a decrease in pressure due to an increase in volume of the cavity. This decrease in pressure allows bubbles of nitrogen and other gases to suddenly form and with that formation comes noise. After not moving for a while, the bubble naturally gets reabsorbed and you’re able to repeat the process and get another pop.
As for why it feels nice…no idea. Could be a perceived increase of flexibility due to no longer having to fight the potential of those gas bubbles forming since they’re already formed but that’s just a guess
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