The knee joint is most often subjected to heavy loads. Especially often this problem occurs in people who are involved in a sport such as running.
Clicks in the knee can occur both when running and when walking calmly. This type of discomfort can be caused by diseases of the skeletal system.
Clicks in the knee when walking and running - causes
A healthy joint does not emit any specific sounds or pain symptoms during movement. Often, many athletes begin to notice clicks during exercise, such sounds gradually increase and become constant.
Clicks can occur while squatting, walking or running. To identify the causes that contribute to the discomfort, you must contact a medical institution. External factors and chronic diseases that have passed into the stage of exacerbation can cause discomfort.
Excessive stress on the knee joints
The knee joint receives a double level of stress during exercise. People who spend most of their time in training and just often give in to physical exertion contribute to the rapid wear of the joint.
The cartilage tissue is deformed, resulting in a crunch that increases over time. In the absence of timely treatment, an inflammatory process appears, which is accompanied by pain during movement.
Ligament friction
This type of problem arises as a result of the proliferation of cartilage tissue that is located in the joint. As a result, ligaments and cartilage rub against each other, clicking and other unpleasant sounds occur. This problem manifests itself most often when bending the legs and during a fast run.
Lesion of the tendons and ligaments of the knee joint
Ligaments and tendons are elastic and may slightly change with movement. However, with prolonged exertion and sudden movements, damage can occur, resulting in clicks during running and pain symptoms. With the right treatment, the ligaments are restored and the unpleasant clicks disappear.
Iliotibial tract syndrome
It is considered one of the most common cases of unpleasant sounds in the knee during movement. The knee joint is connected by a tendon to the thigh, this ligament is located on the inner thigh.
During the runner's movement, the kneecap comes out of the line and does not move synchronously with the hip, a specific click occurs. This problem is manifested by pain under the knee and most often has a long course.
Meniscus injury
Meniscus injury occurs most often with sharp bends of the knee. Depending on the degree of damage to the meniscus, the runner experiences various pain symptoms during the alignment of the leg.
During meniscus injury, when walking, clicks in the knee and blockage of motor function are felt. With minor damage, the pain disappears on its own. Serious injuries require special surgical treatment.
Patellofemoral syndrome
Clicks occur as a result of damage to the patella after prolonged exertion. Regular exertion leads to the fact that the cup has an incorrect position and when the joint moves, a click occurs. These sounds can have pain symptoms that increase with the intensity of the run.
Arthritis, bursitis
With the formation of a disease such as arthritis, an inflammation process occurs in the joint. This type of disease is manifested by discomfort while walking, knee swelling, enlarged joints, redness.
Clicks often occur during movement, the cause of arthritis is not fully understood. This is an autoimmune type of disease, which can be caused by any damage and malfunction in the human body.
With bursitis, the synovial bags become inflamed, which leads to an increase in harmful microorganisms in the joint and an inflammatory process. This type of illness manifests itself after suffering injuries and injuries.
Dislocation
With physical exertion, bones are very often removed from their normal position. The most common causes of dislocation are injuries and careless movements.
During dislocation, clicks may occur when the cup returns to its original position. This type of injury has symptoms of pain that increase after stress on the joint.
Diagnosis and treatment of knee clicks
In order to identify the cause provoking clicks in the knee, it is necessary to undergo the following types of diagnostics:
- examination and conversation with a doctor;
- Ultrasound of the knee;
- analysis of synovial fluid;
- general analyzes.
Treatment is prescribed depending on the results of the diagnosis and the individual characteristics of the patient.
Drug treatment
Treatment of clicks can be carried out by the following groups of drugs:
- anti-inflammatory drugs for external use - produced in the form of ointments and gels that reduce pain symptoms and inflammation;
- chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and restore motor function. Most often prescribed in the form of injections into the knee joint;
- hyaluronic acid - used as a filler for the knee joint, which is necessary for the comfortable movement of the knee components;
- vitamins - used to improve the condition of ligaments and cartilage.
For severe pain symptoms, hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. This type of drug should be used under the supervision of a specialist for no more than 5-7 days.
Traditional methods
The traditional method of crunching treatment can reduce discomfort and restore the motor functions of the knee.
Most commonly used:
- clay - used to eliminate knee pain and restore the damaged area. It is necessary to make a compress of clay and wrap it with cling film, leave for several hours;
- infusion of spruce cones - used twice a day, 100 grams;
- ointment from glycerin and honey - mix in equal proportions honey, glycerin, alcohol. The resulting composition is rubbed into the skin twice a day.
An allergic reaction test must be done before using traditional medicine.
Exercises to stop clicking knees
To restore the work of cartilage tissue, it is necessary to perform physical procedures, which include the following:
- lying on your back, slowly bend and unbend your knees;
- in a standing position, stretch your arms up, while the foot is slowly transferred to the toe;
- lying on your back, doing a bike exercise;
- lying on your back, alternately put one leg on the other and linger in this position for a few seconds;
- lying on your back, bend your knees and stay in this position for a few minutes, then slowly align your legs.
One of the effective methods of treating knee clicks is performing massage procedures. In advanced cases, surgical treatment is used, with the use of implants that replace the damaged area.
How to Stop Clicking Your Knee While Walking - Tips
If the clicks in the knees occur very often, you can use the following methods:
- do stretching before running. This type of exercise will prepare the knee for the load and reduce the risk of unpleasant sounds in the future;
- during movement, it is necessary to activate the gluteal muscles;
- use knee pads while running;
- while jumping, keep your knees bent halfway;
- make regular breaks for rest;
- saturate the diet with essential vitamins that will restore the damaged area of the knee;
- choose comfortable footwear for sports;
- do not overload the knee joint.
The appearance of minor pains and sounds in the knee joint area may indicate complex diseases. Therefore, when clicks appear, it is recommended to reduce or completely stop physical activity.
Knee disease is a common problem for many runners. When a crunch appears in the joint, it is necessary not to delay the treatment and promptly seek help from a specialist. Otherwise, the disease can begin to progress with further complications.
