Why do my knees crunch and can I exercise then?

family orthopedist of the ORTEKA orthopedic salon chain

Why do my knees crunch during exercise? Is it possible to continue exercising? How to fix it?

Often crunching in the knees is the result of improper operation of the joint. If it is not accompanied by inflammation of tissues, then a person does not feel pain and discomfort. Therefore, many people simply ignore it. At the same time, crunching in the joints can signal orthopedic diseases. What are the reasons for its occurrence and when to worry? Does it affect the way of life?

When walking, running, playing sports, the capsule stretches, resulting in an increase in its volume. Its pressure drops, causing gas bubbles to form in the fluid. They burst when the pressure in the bubbles and the fluid become equal. We hear a click. The joint capsule, which is stretched during physical activity, can also crunch. In addition, the cause of such a phenomenon can be muscles and tendons. When moving, they rub against the protruding surfaces of the bones, which is the cause of the click. The same applies to ligaments, the work of which is accompanied by a characteristic sound.

Crunching in the joints of children and adolescents often causes concern for parents. I hasten to reassure – this is due to the fact that bone tissue grows faster than muscle tissue. Muscles, tendons, ligaments are stretched and cause crunching in the joints. But it is still worth visiting an orthopedist, so that the specialist can rule out the disease and confirm the age-related peculiarities.

Unfortunately, over time, the cartilage tissue of the knee joint wears out. Joint surfaces become rougher, so their friction causes crunching – crepitation. This process is accelerated by intensive sports loads, work associated with physical labor, injuries, excess weight. A sedentary lifestyle is also not good for the joints, because in the absence of movement deteriorates blood supply. This also negatively affects the condition of cartilage tissue.

In addition, the likelihood of progressive crunch is characteristic of those who wear the wrong shoes. High heels or, on the contrary, absolutely flat soles, narrow toe – all these are “harmful” elements of shoes that lead to the development of flat feet. It is this most common orthopedic problem that often becomes the cause of arthrosis and, as a consequence, crunch of the knee joints.

Why do knees crunch in training?

Beginners and professional athletes often find that their knees crunch in training. At the very least, this is due to the fact that during exercises, they often have to make sudden movements and turns where tendons, muscles and ligaments come into contact with the bones of the joints.

In addition, over-intensive training causes cartilage to wear down faster and joint surfaces to wear out more quickly. This is why professional athletes get knee and other joint pain as they age. Crunching can also be the result of a previous training injury.