Question
My child’s knees have been making clicking sounds for some time, and I’m very worried. What could be the cause?
Answer
The causes of clicking sounds in the knee can include a variety of joint and extra-articular abnormalities. Common joint causes include congenital discoid meniscus, where the thicker the meniscus, the more pronounced the clicking; or congenital knee dislocation, which usually occurs when the knee is actively or passively extended by 30° to 40°. Additionally, it could be due to injuries to the medial and lateral menisci, meniscal calcification, meniscal ossification, avascular necrosis of bone and cartilage, synovial chondromatosis, or synovial plicae syndrome. Extra-articular possible causes include patellar or semimembranosus tendons slipping, as well as biceps femoris tendons slipping. It is recommended to take your child to a hospital’s orthopedic department for examination and X-rays to determine the specific cause and receive symptomatic treatment accordingly.