So what does it mean if your knee pops and clicks?

Does your knee pop and click 1st think in the AM, or when your getting up from a chair, or maybe when you are squatting down. Is this a bad thing? What if it doesn’t hurt, but just pops and clicks.

The sounds our knees make can give us valuable information and can often be a warning sign for potentially more serious issues in the future. But please don’t worry- be glad that your body is giving you this “check engine” light before things take a turn for the worse. Maybe you just need to add some “oil” to the “engine” and you will be good to go.

Now joints pop and click- that’s just what they do- an occasional pop or click doesn’t need to be given much thought or attention. But when should you be more concerned?

Ask yourself these questions:
1. If you have pain associated with the popping and clicking
2. If the popping and clicking is getting worse and more frequent and predictable
3. If you have a “pop” and sudden onset of new pain or swelling

Any of these would warrant further investigation to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for further injury or more complications.

So, what is the popping and clicking noise?

For people in their 30-40’s- the popping and clicking is likely from the knee cap- or a malposition knee cap (patella). If the knee cap isn’t “ridding in the track” then you will likely hear some grinding and popping.

For people 50’s and older, you are likely to have more popping and clicking due to a reduction in the “cushion” between the knee (your cartilage). This cushioning is meant to act as a shock absorber each time your foot hits the ground when you are walking. Your knees take this pounding regardless of what type of surface you are walking on. Going out for a jog, tennis, playing golf, walking with your loved one, or just trying to keep up with your kids or grand kids makes an impact and can take its toll over the years. All this does is create some “wear and tear” in the knee joint.

Now remember- these noises don’t always bring knee pain, but they can if these early signals are ignored.

So- you want to do something about it– maybe you really value your health and your ability to maintain an active and independent lifestyle. Having good knee health is pretty much required to do so. If you do something about it now- your much more likely to prevent pain from coming on in the future.