My knee started clicking after knee surgery. Is that normal?

Why knees click during recovery

After surgery the knee is swollen, the thigh muscle is weaker and the tissues are stiffer than usual. As you regain movement, the kneecap may not track as smoothly, scar tissue around the keyhole portals can snap lightly, and the joint fluid changes as swelling resolves. All of these can produce clicks that fade over the following weeks to months.

After meniscus trimming or repair, and after ACL reconstruction, some patients notice a new sound simply because they are paying closer attention to the knee.

Usually expected

• Painless clicks or soft crunching while doing rehabilitation exercises
• Noise under the kneecap as you regain bending
• A light snap at a portal scar as it softens
• Clicks that become less frequent as strength improves

Worth reporting

• Clicking with a catch or block, or the knee locking
• New or increasing swelling after you were improving
• A pop followed by pain, especially after a slip or twist
• The knee feeling loose or giving way
• Redness, warmth, wound discharge or fever, which need same-day review

What to do and when to contact your surgeon

Keep following your physiotherapy programme, as stronger quadriceps and hip muscles usually make the knee quieter. Avoid adding deep squats, kneeling or pivoting sports before your surgeon and physiotherapist clear them, because those stages are timed to protect healing tissue.

If you notice any of the warning signs, contact your surgical team rather than waiting for the next scheduled visit. For patients under his care at Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber examines the knee and decides whether an ultrasound, X-ray or MRI is needed. If you had surgery elsewhere and moved to Qatar, bring your operation note and scans to the appointment.