Clicking knees - any suggestions

[Triskele]

Hi guys

 

I'm new here, just started my first challenge and have not really done any exercise for years.

 

I am alternating between the beginners body weight circuit and interval training, however I am getting a problem with my knees clicking when I exercise. Especially on squats and the exercise bike. My husband said its ok to just exercise through the clicks but since doing that yesterday I've got pain in one knee when I put any pressure on it so I don't think that's a good sign.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, or if anyone knows what causes it?

 

Would it be wise to continue with exercises that make it click? Do you think its worth seeing a doctor about? or are there any supplements that might help?

 

Thanking you all in advance of any suggestions.

 

 

 

 

[cianalas]

If the clicks don't hurt, it's not a big deal.

It seems like they do for you, so go until before they click and work on mobility/flexibility stuff to get your range of motion up.

 

mobilitywod.com is a good site to visit.

[lemongranita]

Sometimes knees just click, but in my case it was poor kneecap tracking and eventually got really painful.

 

If it persists and hurts, I'd see a doctor or sports physio, but there are also some good simple exercises to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the joint. Try googling: patella stabilizing exercises

[littlemiss_g]

I'd agree that if it is painful, you should see a doctor or physio.

 

My knees have clicked since I injured them 16 years ago (I injured one, and then did for the other by overcompensating), but generally only when I straighten my legs fully.  They also make lovely, gravelly sounds when I bend them, go up and down stairs etc.

 

The patella stabilizing exercises are a good idea, these days I avoid problems by keeping the supporting muscles in good shape, and I find that I can now do squats without problems.  It was also doing this that allowed me to ride a bike again, after several years of not being able to do so because of severe pain.

[rybo]

My left knee clicks during some exercises, but not others, even though they seem to be the same movement. I have no pain so I just keep going. I've always had a wonky left knee from way back in college.

[secretlobster]

Clicking isn't, in itself, a problem, unless there is pain. It is annoying though, and I found that when my knee clicked during squats, I rotated my foot slightly further outward  and the clicking went away.

[obax]

Sometimes knees just click, but in my case it was poor kneecap tracking and eventually got really painful.

 

If it persists and hurts, I'd see a doctor or sports physio, but there are also some good simple exercises to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the joint. Try googling: patella stabilizing exercises

 

Agreed. I had the same problem years ago. The knee clicking/cracking was a sign of this, and eventually became painful. Physio helped with the pain, but my knees will likely always click and crack to some degree. Alone, the noise isn't a problem, I don't think, but at the first sign of persistent pain, get it sorted with a doctor.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Squats fixed my clicking, but I never had pain from it.  If the clicking is causing you pain, see a doc.  If the pain is just muscle soreness from your first squat session, that's normal.

[Warwolf]

If the clicks don't hurt, it's not a big deal.

It seems like they do for you, so go until before they click and work on mobility/flexibility stuff to get your range of motion up.

 

mobilitywod.com is a good site to visit.

 

Couldn't agree more. Wrestling was hard on my knees and they clicked a ton when I'd workout years later. Doc said it was due to inflammation that just never went away. I worked on some hip mobility and ankle mobility and now I can squat like nobody's biznass. So yeah, maybe try an anti inflammatory before you workout (depending on how susceptible to side affects you are, or if that's a bad thing to do, I dunno) but I'd say definitely give MWOD a try. 

[Triskele]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for all the great advice - I'm going to start doing the strengthening and flexibility exercises as suggested.

 

And to clarify - yes the clicking was getting painful, my husband told me just to carry on and it would be ok (he gets a click in his shoulder when lifting weights) so I carried on my exercise over 3 days until I the pain got worse and I had to stop, for the rest of the week wasn't able to put weight on it. So I am looking at other exercises that don't cause it to click.

 

I think because I've not exercised for a long time I will try the strengthening and flexibility exercises for a bit before seeing the doctor.

 

I know enough now to say if its hurting stop exercising, so I wont be pushing through the pain again - lol

 

Thanks again guys!

[Crazyhawaiian21]

I love the fact that it's no longer common practice to "push through the pain" and rather to remedy the issue before injuries occur or worsen.  Great thread Triskele and thanks for asking the question I've always though about in my head but never out loud.  Looking forward to incorporating MobilityWOD into my Ninja-Gecko Assassin regimen.