Why does my knee click?

Most knee clicking is noise, not damage. Tendons snap lightly over bone as you move, tiny gas bubbles pop in the joint fluid, and the result is a click or clunk with no pain at all - the NHS states plainly that painless clicking is normal and needs no treatment. The clicks that matter come with company. Pain at the moment of the click, a knee that catches or locks, swelling, or a knee that gives way under you are different: that pattern can point to a torn meniscus (the cartilage cushion inside the joint) or another internal problem, and the NHS lists locking, giving way, and painful clicking as reasons to get advice from 111 now. Knees that click and ache after long sitting - the so-called cinema sign - usually reflect mild irritation where the kneecap glides, which responds to strengthening the thigh and hip muscles. What to do: a painless click needs nothing. A painful one earns rest, ice for 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, and acetaminophen, then a GP or self-referral to physiotherapy if it has not improved in a few weeks. Fever with a hot, red, swollen knee is urgent. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you sort harmless noise from a real injury.