Knee noise in the form of a crack, click, or pop is very common. It may be caused by simple soft tissue catching or by more serious damage to the bearing surface of the joint: the articular cartilage.
No worries: Painless clicks & pops
The rice crispy noises coming from your knee is common and this is called crepitus. Sometimes the noise is due to tiny air bubbles inside the joint fluid, which build up with changes in joint pressure. The bubbles make a noise when they burst. This is called cavitation. Another cause is when the ligaments and tendons catch as they go over a bony lump within the knee —or over scar tissue—and pop when they snap back into place.
Some concern: Persistent popping with swelling, pain, catching, or grinding
When the knee popping sounds are accompanied by swelling and pain, or produce a catching sensation, or the knee gives way, then worry about a possible injury within the knee.
The noise and pain may be a mechanical symptom, which feels like something is caught in the knee as it moves back and forth. This kind of popping is often a sign that you have a meniscus tear, or that a small piece of loose cartilage is caught in the knee.
Painful knee popping can also be caused by osteoarthritis, where the smooth cartilage has worn down and the bones cause friction when they rub against one another.
Another common problem that results in a popping or grinding sensation is roughness on the undersurface of the patella. This is called patellofemoral pain syndrome, or “runner’s knee.”
Real worry: Loud pop at time of injury followed by swelling, instability, and giving way
- “Doc, I heard a pop and my knee swelled”
- You have most likely injured either your ligaments:
- anterior cruciate ligament,
- posterior cruciate ligament or
- medial collateral ligament or the
- meniscus or articular cartilage
Tips on how to protect your knees and get rid of knee cracking
- Regular exercise and training – you need to strengthen legs muscles and at the same time not forget about knee muscles. Weight training, resistance training, or body weight exercises (such as squats and lunges) should be included in your fitness plan at least twice a week.
- Warm up before training – muscles should be warmed up before a workout. Do not skip the warm-up, as it will help avoid injuries or overloads. Hard workout can easily cause muscle and joint injuries.
- Stretching – before and after exercise, you must carefully stretch the muscles and joints. Stretch your front and back thigh muscles regularly – first the quadriceps, and then the back of the thigh.
- Choose shoes carefully – wear comfortable shoes that are not tight, especially if you spend a lot of time at work.
- Maintain a healthy weight – this means that you should not have an excess weight or obesity. Since overweight is bad for the functioning of the knees and joints. Obesity is an established risk factor for the development of arthritis of the knee joint.
Coming to LSTC will allow you to learn more about why your knees make the sounds snap, crackle and pop.
So come on by and have a great experience with some awesome physical therapists and athletic trainers who can teach you and challenge you with new knowledge!
Give us a call at 703-450-4300!
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