Why do joints crackle in children: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Why do joints crackle in children, not everyone knows. Parents must pay attention to this symptom and not ignore it.

The main reason is considered insufficient formation of the musculoskeletal system, as well as rapid growth. In many children, the joints hurt and snap until a certain period, but as they grow older, the problem disappears. If it persists, then you need to contact a specialist.

Causes

There are many causes of joint crunch in children, and they differ depending on age.

They can be associated not only with diseases, but also depend on the activity of the child. Consider the problem depending on age.

In infants

The most common reasons why a baby’s joints crackle are as follows:

1. Age-related changes. Joints may crackle in children under 1 year old. This is considered the norm. The problem is that muscle and connective tissue are still developing, which is why the joints of a child crackle up to a year. When the baby begins to walk on its own, this symptom disappears.
2. Genetic predisposition. Inadequate development of bones, ligaments, and articular joints may be inherited from parents. Why joints of a one-year-old child have crisp joints, in this case is understandable.
3. Joint inflammation. In particular, arthritis. The knee is usually affected. In this case, the child behaves uneasily, often cries.
4. Hip dysplasia. The asymmetry of the inguinal folds in the baby will be noticeable. The legs vary in length. There are problems with their breeding to the side.

To avoid complications, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible.

In children under 7 years

At this age, crunching of joints in a child most often indicates the development of pathological processes.

The reasons why the joints of a child are 7 years old or younger crackle may be:

1. Intensive growth. According to doctors, in this case, crunching is the norm. The musculoskeletal system is developing rapidly, but the synovial fluid is not yet produced in sufficient quantities. This causes clicks.
2. Lack of vitamins and minerals. They are required by the child's body during intensive growth. The main one is calcium. It is his deficit that causes a crunch.
3. Fluid deficiency. If there is a shortage of water in the body, then a sufficient amount of intraarticular fluid is not produced. As a result, the tissues do not become so flexible, which is why crunching occurs.
4. Excessive exercise. The child needs to increase the load gradually, in accordance with his age and capabilities.
5. Injuries. They can lead to changes in the pathological type in the joints.

Various diseases can become the causes, but in this case additional symptoms will appear: redness, swelling, fever, limitation in mobility.

In adolescents

Common reasons why children crack joints and bones are:

1. Hormonal disruptions. In adolescents, the body undergoes restructuring. This affects all systems, including the musculoskeletal system.
2. Hypermobility of articular joints. If the child’s joints are too flexible from birth, and the ligaments are loose, then a crunch will be heard often.
3. Physical exercise. In particular, this refers to their incorrect distribution.
4. Excess weight. Because of it, the load on the musculoskeletal system, in particular, on the connecting elements increases.
5. Flat feet. Pressure on the leg rises.
6. Injuries. This applies to fractures, dislocations and other things.

In addition, the cause may be inflammation, which is why the joints of a child of 10 years crackle. Because of this, not only a crunch appears, but also pain, restriction of movements.

Symptoms

If a child can hear a crack in the joints, you need to pay attention to such alarming signs:

• crunching of one or several joints systematically for a long time, if the limb is bent or unbent;
• it is difficult to part the limbs;
• skin folds are asymmetric;
• one limb becomes longer than the other;
• redness, swelling is visible in the joint area;
• the child is naughty, crying, complaining of pain.

In such cases, you must go to the hospital.

Diagnostics

If the child’s crunch does not go away with time or if there are additional signs, then you need to see a doctor. He studies the symptoms, history. The doctor will check the joints of the shoulders, pelvis and hips, knees, elbows and others.

To determine the symptoms of slipping in the child, he is placed on the table. The knees and pelvis are bent. The hips are carefully spread apart. If there is no problem, they will touch the table. If there is a dislocation, then the head of the joint slides into the cavity.

It is recommended to take a general blood and urine test, by which it will be possible to detect inflammatory processes in the body. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe a biochemical blood test in the future. An additional ultrasound is required to determine dysplasia and study the amount of synovial fluid. Sometimes children undergo an ultrasound of the heart to check the operation of the valves.

Treatment methods

Treatment depends on the reasons why a small child has cracked joints. The basic principles of therapy are as follows:

1. With a lack of synovial fluid, special treatment is not prescribed. It is only necessary to monitor the drinking regimen of the child. He should drink as much fluid as possible.
2. In infectious diseases, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
3. With arthritis, non-steroidal type analgesics, glucocorticosteroids and drugs to improve muscle tone are prescribed.
4. With hip dysplasia, it is recommended to take vitamin-mineral complexes. Correct the position of the articulation can be tight swaddling or special fixing corsets. Physiotherapy is prescribed to stimulate tissue.
5. With joint hypermobility (connective tissue is weakened), a strengthening massage and special therapeutic exercises are prescribed. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe medications that will improve muscle tone.

Heavy physical activity is contraindicated. When remission occurs, it is recommended to engage in therapeutic exercises.

Folk remedies

As an addition to the main therapy, folk remedies are suitable:

1. Burdock. 100 g of dry roots of this plant pour 1 liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Cool and strain. Give the baby every time he wants to drink.
2. Fir cones. 5 pieces pour 1 liter of boiling water. Insist 12 hours. Give the child 5 sips every day.
3. Bay leaf. 20 pieces pour 500 ml of boiling water. Insist 3 hours. Drink everything within 3 days. After a week, repeat the course.
4. Linden. 2 tbsp. l dried and powdered inflorescences pour 500 ml of water. Boil for 15 minutes. Cool and strain. Give the child a third of a cup 3 times a day.
5. Willow bark. Take 1 tbsp. l raw materials per cup of boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool and strain. Give the child 0.5 cups per day.
6. Gelatin. 2 tsp powder pour 100 ml of cool drinking water. Insist all night. In the morning, boil and knead the lumps. Add warm water to make 200 ml. Drink on an empty stomach in the morning before meals. It is allowed to add honey or freshly squeezed juice of orange and lemon to the product. Do not use instant gelatin.
7. Sunflower. 100 g of crushed baskets of sunflower seeds pour 500 ml of vodka. Cut baby soap and add. Insist 10 days in a dark place. At the end, strain and apply massage movements on the sore joints. Then wrap them up.
8. Baths with sea salt and baking soda. It is necessary to dissolve such components in hot water. Sit in the bath for 15 minutes, massaging diseased limbs.
9. Black radish and honey. Squeeze the juice from the root and mix with an equal amount of honey. Rub the joints with this tool once a day. Then cover with a film and insulate.
10. Rosehip. Take 50 g of inflorescences per 300 ml of boiling water. Insist half an hour. Add 100 ml of honey. 1 - 2 times a day to smear joints with such a tool for 3 weeks.

Before using such funds, you must make sure that the child is not allergic to them. The duration of such therapy must be agreed with the attending physician.

Prevention

To avoid joint problems in a child, prophylaxis is necessary. First, follow a special diet.

Vitamins, minerals and other useful substances that he receives from food are important for the child’s body. Broccoli, cottage cheese, bananas, raisins, dried apricots are useful for children of any age. They have a lot of calcium. But that he is well absorbed, you need to walk every day for at least half an hour in direct sunlight.

Pasta and flour products will have to be limited. Seafood and fish are very useful because of the high content of vitamin D. Calcium is also present in dairy and sour-milk products. There is a lot of phosphorus in peaches, liver and fish.

All these products are very useful for the growing body of the child, but you need to make sure that there is no allergy to them.

Secondly, you need to remember that it is water that is the main component of synovial fluid. You can not limit the child to drink. The body independently regulates the water balance.

Thirdly, physical activity is beneficial, but it should be moderate. Overloads of the musculoskeletal system should not be allowed. Every day you need to walk in the fresh air.

Riding a bicycle, swimming, gymnastics, etc. will be beneficial, but all exercises must be done carefully so as not to cause injuries. It is especially necessary to be careful for adolescents, since the body is growing rapidly, and the skeleton does not have time to adapt to this.

Conclusion

If your child has cracked joints, this is not a cause for concern. But it is better to consult a doctor, especially if other disturbing symptoms are present.

After the diagnosis, if necessary, the doctor will prescribe appropriate therapy, which includes not only medications, but also physiotherapy, physiotherapy. Folk remedies will also benefit.

Parents should not ignore the child's complaints about unpleasant symptoms, attributing everything to fatigue from excessive mobility. Timely treatment at the clinic will prevent complications or eliminate the presence of pathology.