Knee crunch can occur during sports, or when sitting on a chair. If there are no other manifestations besides the characteristic click, then there is no pathology. Another case is when the cracking sound is accompanied by unpleasant sensations, acute pain (lumbago in the knee), swelling or hyperemia, which signals the onset or developing disease. lumbago in the knee
As practice shows, home self-medication only takes up precious time, while immediate contact with a doctor will help block the destructive process that has begun in the knee at an early stage.
Briefly about the structure of the knee
We promise not to burden you with the anatomical complexities of the knee joint. Although, the joint is really complex. To understand why the knee is so vulnerable, let's look inside it, what is there under the skin?
And there are several structures connected together - the heads of the tibia and femur, the meniscus and ligaments, due to which this entire structure is held together. If you touch your kneecap, you will notice that it is mobile. Now imagine how complex nature has come up with everything to ensure mobility and, at the same time, strength and physiologically correct functionality of the knee joint. This is not your elbow, although that one is also not entirely simple.
Inside the knee there is joint fluid. If it is deficient, severe friction of the bones against each other will begin, the knee will swell and lose all mobility. By the way, you may have already begun to understand why your knees may hurt. For example, due to lack of joint fluid.
Why the knee may suffer:
- Violation of the structure of any component of the joint (cartilage, bone, ligaments).
- Violation of the composition or volume of joint fluid.
- Violation of the composition of cartilage and ligaments.
These are the reasons why the knee crunches when squatting. If one of the listed conditions appears, it becomes much easier to damage the knee than in a healthy body. In a normally functioning body, the knee can be damaged only by putting a huge load on it, that is, by tearing a ligament or damaging the cartilage. But the knee will immediately swell and be very painful.
It’s a different matter for the problems indicated under points 1, 2, 3. Violations occur gradually, and it all starts with a crunch (a click is heard when bending). So, let's talk about that crunching and clicking sound that many people hear when walking up stairs, squats and other movements associated with bending the legs at the knee.
What to do if you have knee pain?
You need to try to determine the cause of the pain. Until it is installed, any physical activity should be avoided. If the cause is a slight sprain or minor bruise, you can limit yourself to self-medication and reducing the load. For “causeless” pain, self-medication is not recommended.
How is the diagnosis done?
Decide on the nature of the pain before going to the doctor. Above we have already described the characteristic symptoms of diseases of the knee joint. Check your body for their presence. The doctor will definitely ask about this before the examination.
To accurately determine the diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor first palpates your knee. Later he sends the patient for instrumental and laboratory diagnostics. They do to you:
- X-ray.
- Ultrasound.
- Biochemical and general blood test.
- Collection and analysis of joint fluid.
- MRI of the knee joint.
In most cases, the diagnosis is reliably known after MRI.
First aid for dislocations, bruises and sprains
First aid for bruises, dislocations and sprains is different. If you are injured, proceed as follows:
- Apply a cold compress to the damaged area for 15-20 minutes.
- Apply the bandage tightly enough to prevent bleeding. Place the cold on top of the bandage again and leave it there for one and a half to two hours. Be careful not to overfreeze the area.
- After a few hours, take a warm bath to speed up the resorption of the spilled blood.
When stretched:
- Apply a cold compress and apply a bandage (or an elastic bandage).
- Do not load the ligament for two days. It is advisable to stay in bed at all.
- To prevent this from happening again, do therapeutic exercises and practice self-massage.
Note! If you suspect a rupture, the pain does not go away, and severe swelling is noticeable in the joint, contact a traumatologist.
In case of dislocation:
- Call an ambulance.
- In any available way, fix the knee in the position it took after the injury, cool the area.
- Take a horizontal position, place the fixed leg so that it is higher than the rest of the body. This can only be done with outside help. If there is no one nearby, just don't move.
Note! It’s unlikely that such an idea will come to your mind, but we’ll still warn you: don’t eat or drink anything. It is quite possible that you will have surgery right away at the hospital. To do this, you will need to do a rapid blood test and local anesthesia.
Causes of crunching
Knees crunch or creak for several reasons. Now it will be more clear to you what and how, after a short anatomical excursion from the previous section:
- Nutrition problems.
- Metabolic problems.
- Pathological conditions: inflammatory infectious and non-infectious processes in the knee joint (for example, arthritis).
Eating problems
Typically, a person does not consume enough substances that form joints and joint fluid in their diet. The joint contains glycosaminoglycans (GAGs): chondroitin and glucosamine. This is the basis for cartilage tissue.
In normal life, knee problems can appear after 50 years of age. If you squat with a barbell and work out consistently in the gym, your body will need much more of these same GAGs than during the normal rhythm of life. Accordingly, you need to get more of them from your diet.
That is why athletes are recommended to use supplements in the form of “glucosamine + chondroitin”. This is an “ambulance” for our joints. And we are talking not only about the knee, but also about all other joints. After all, they also consist of the same substances. So the reasons for crunching knees may lie in poor nutrition.
Next is water. It must be consumed in the right quantity. 2-4 liters per day, depending on weight. You say: “there will be swelling!” But no, if you don’t eat a lot of salt, and if your kidneys are healthy, edema will not appear, because the liquid will calmly pass through the body, be absorbed in the right quantities, and the excess will be eliminated from the body. So it was, and so it will be.
Metabolism
Crunching in the knees when squats is precisely due to the fact that there are not enough necessary substances. But why are these substances missing if a person eats right?
In this case we are talking about metabolic disorders. The body cannot absorb substances in the required quantities, the body gains weight, shortness of breath and increased sweating appear.
The issue can be resolved by going to an endocrinologist. Here you cannot treat yourself, because you don’t know what to treat, much less how. Forget the advice of colorful sites on the Internet. Just go to the endocrinologist and say: “I’m worried about my metabolism, is everything okay with it?” Next, trust the doctor.
Knees crack and click not only in adults; the problem can also arise in a teenager if he has problems with the endocrine glands. The reasons for this may be genetic abnormalities or poor lifestyle.
If your knees creak when squatting, it makes sense to limit the load until the exact cause is determined. Perhaps it’s worth switching to more gentle exercises for now.
Diseases
What diseases cause crunchy knees? For those associated with damage to cartilage tissue, inflammatory processes or injuries.
The infectious agent disrupts the physiological balance inside the knee and triggers destruction processes. Swelling, inflammation, changes in the composition of fluids - all this leads to crunching and pain.
Crackling and crunching noises begin to appear while walking up stairs, when bending your legs, even from a lying position. This way you can clarify whether there is a crunch or not. Usually you can hear it well.
If the crunching causes discomfort, you should see a doctor. Moreover, doctors are different. Someone will send you home with the words: “don’t invent a disease for yourself,” but someone will actually help. So don’t despair if the doctor turns out to be the most mediocre creature on the planet. There will always be a normal specialist.
How to treat knee pain?
Knee joint diseases are an age-related problem. It is present in 30% of people aged 50-60 years. Athletes (especially runners, football players and bodybuilders) develop the disease earlier. Are you at risk? Read how to prevent the disease and cure it.
Proper nutrition to prevent joint disease
How to protect yourself from injuries and arthrosis? A balanced diet, moderate physical activity and compliance with safety precautions when playing sports will help you. Let's start with nutrition:
Make sure that your diet contains vitamins C, E, B6, B5 and A. Together they will have a positive effect on cartilage tissue cells: they neutralize substances that cause cartilage destruction and promote the restoration and growth of cartilage tissue.
- Lettuce, eggs, liver (E).
- Fermented milk products, kidneys, yolk, peanuts (B5).
- Meat, fish, legumes (B6).
- Carrots, cabbage, lettuce, butter, cream (A).
- Citrus (C).
Note! You can make up for all this with vitamin supplements, but it will be more expensive and hardly effective. The body can only consume a limited amount of vitamins; everything else comes out naturally.
Physical activity and sports
Combine proper nutrition with moderate physical activity: do a warm-up every few hours if your job is sedentary. Regular walks are a great help: joint diseases are much less common among dog owners.
When playing sports, follow safety precautions. Always do a warm-up. By warming up the joint, we simultaneously increase the amount of joint fluid and reduce the risk of sprains.
Treatment at home and hospital
Remember that most “folk methods” are aimed at eliminating symptoms, not the cause of the disease. You can use a warm compress and ointment to temporarily relieve the painful sensation, but no more.
To treat the injury, the help of a surgeon may be required (for example, when reducing dislocations). Inflammatory processes can be effectively relieved with the help of a physiotherapist, massage therapist, PRP therapy and therapeutic exercises. About her below.
Therapeutic gymnastics for rehabilitation
Therapeutic exercises are prohibited from performing in acute diseases. They are needed for rehabilitation during the postoperative period and after wearing a cast. After an injury, gradual loading will help you regain mobility and get used to bending your knee again.
Before exercising, consult your traumatologist:
- Wall squats. Lean your back against the wall and slowly slide down it until you feel discomfort. Easily.
- "Step". Take the platform and stand on it with one foot or the other. Like fitness, but much slower and without rhythmic music.
- Flexion on the stomach. Lie on your stomach and alternately bend your knees, lifting your shins up. Exactly! It's like you're a dreamy girl lying on the bed in front of a magazine.
Proper barbell squat technique
The barbell squat is the most dangerous exercise for your knees. Efficiency and safety depend entirely on your technique. Here is a diagram of a classic squat:
- Take a weight of 40% of the maximum if you are a beginner. The maximum weight is the weight you can lift in one workout.
- Grab the barbell so that your grip is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You can squat with a barbell on your shoulders and on your back. Please note! Back squats put a lot of stress on the knees.
- Do full or partial squats. Deep squats are not as dangerous as increasing weight, but they have an even greater effect.
The position of the legs should be comfortable and as stable as possible. Most people find a shoulder-width position suitable. Make sure your head continues the line of your spine.
Note! If you are under 18 years of age, do not perform barbell squats without a knee stabilizer and the support of a professional trainer. If you are overweight, it is better to limit strength training.
How to get rid of crunching?
Only an experienced practicing surgeon or rheumatologist can make an accurate diagnosis and eliminate the cause of the unpleasant sound. Competent complex therapy will relieve unpleasant symptoms when the patient feels pain and hears the joints of the arms or legs crunching. Simple recommendations such as:
- moderate physical activity,
- normalization of weight and a healthy diet,
- comfortable orthopedic shoes.
A complete medical examination will eliminate the risk of developing a chronic disease and will give the patient confidence that the cracking in the joints for him is within the normal range acceptable for the physiological characteristics of the body.