Clicky joints?

There’s no single, definitive percentage for how many people have “clicky joints” (often called crepitus) because it depends on factors like age, activity level, and whether it’s tied to a condition like osteoarthritis. However, I can give you some solid estimates based on available data.

For the general population, studies suggest joint noises are pretty common. A 2025 systematic review found that knee crepitus (clicking, popping, or grinding) occurs in about 41% of people across all ages, based on over 36,000 participants. That’s a good starting point, though it’s specific to knees—one of the noisiest joints. Other joints like knuckles, shoulders, or necks also click, but comprehensive data across all joints is trickier to pin down.

If we narrow it to pain-free people, the same review showed 36% still report knee crepitus, suggesting that clicking is often just a normal quirk of movement—like gas bubbles popping in synovial fluid or tendons snapping over bones. For younger folks like you (at 20), it’s likely lower than the overall average since age ramps up the odds of joint noise. Still, a 1987 study found 99% of healthy knees made some sound when tested with sensitive equipment, though most of these noises aren’t noticeable day-to-day.

When it comes to conditions like osteoarthritis, the numbers jump. About 81% of people with knee osteoarthritis report crepitus, but that’s more relevant to older adults—32.5 million in the U.S. alone have OA, mostly over 45. You’re well below that age bracket, so your clicking is less likely tied to something like that.

So, ballpark? Somewhere between 36% and 41% of people experience clicky joints regularly, with higher rates if you focus on specific joints or older groups. For a 20-year-old, it’s probably closer to—or even below—that 36% mark if it’s just harmless noise. Does that match what you’re noticing in yourself or others?

*Please note the above should not be considered medical advice.