Tracy Hafen YouBeauty Fitness Expert replied almost 2 years ago:
That cracking or popping sound is called crepitus. It commonly occurs in joints and can be caused by any number of surfaces rubbing together…bone, cartilage, ligaments, even the fluid sac surrounding the joint can be involved. It may indicate that arthritis is on the horizon, but not necessarily. When it is not accompanied by pain and is located in a joint, such as your ankle, rather than in soft tissues or organs, it is usually not a medical emergency and most often not something that requires any treatment. If the noise becomes accompanied by pain or swelling, you need to see a doctor.
If you don’t need to move your ankle in a way that causes the crepitus, then don’t. In other words, don’t just sit there rotating your ankle over and over again. The less you irritate the rubbing surfaces, the better.
