Noisy knees

age_is_just_a_number

I’m wondering if anyone else has no noisy knees without any knee problems.

When I squat, my knees make noise — mostly a popping - crunching - crackling sound. I have no pain or discomfort before, during or after. Just noise. I haven’t been concerned about it because of no pain.

If I squat with my knees pointing outward ( say somewhere between 10-2 and 11-1) vs straight ahead, then the noise is less frequent.

Does anyone else have noisy knees?
What have you done about it?

cmriverside

Yeah, for me I think it's cartilage/meniscus, but it kind of depends on where your popping is exactly.

I've had surgery for meniscus tearing on one knee, the other one pops and on occasion will hurt after long use. If I keep doing my squats and other exercises, the pain stops. My surgeon tells me that the cartilage sometimes gets folded and I can exercise that back into a flatter position but that if the meniscus is damaged, it will continue to deteriorate.

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BarbaraHelen2013

It would be faster for me to list the joints that don’t pop and crackle than to tell you which do!

One of my daughters once said ‘I always know it’s you rather than dad coming down the stairs before I see you!’ 😂

It’s always happened as long as I remember - I used to freak my mother out back in my early teens cracking my toe joints just by wiggling my toes!

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RosyBest

I also don't have knee problems but they do make a cruching sound.

nossmf

If I keep my knees flexed past 90 for too long (usually while sitting), they will give a single loud pop when I extend them again. Typically pain-free, but if I go too long between leg days it will start to progress from uncomfortable to painful. Consequently I will never be the gym rat with a rockin' torso and chicken legs, if only to prevent pain from my knees!

penguinmama87

I was actually considering starting a thread on this exact thing! Glad to know I'm not the only one. No pain, but yes, that same crackling sound, mostly in my left knee when bending a lot (so squats or doing stairs.) I had sort of half-noticed it before, but the other day I was exercising while everyone else at home was still asleep and my knee was SO LOUD! I thought it might stop or lessen as I lost weight, but so far no.

I figure as long as it's not bothering me it's probably totally fine. It would be nice if it could be just a little quieter, though!

justhost

Not my knees, but my elbows and shoulders like to click when I put them through their full range of motion. It doesn't hurt but got way better once I included more mobility and stretching exercises into my routine. You may just have really really tight hamstrings or stabilizer muscles.

MikePfirrman

My right one makes constant pops and nasty sounds. Doesn't hurt most of the time. I ruined the meniscus years ago. Just waiting till I'm older to do the replacement on it. For now, it's crap but functional. Also have an ankle I can pop at will. Had one too many nasty ankle sprains I suppose when I was young. Luckily, that doesn't ever hurt. Just makes funky sounds.

age_is_just_a_number

Thanks all.

Justhost — I do have tight, often sore, hamstrings. I should have put together that hamstrings and knees are connected.

I’ll have to add extra stretching esp focus on hamstrings, calves, etc.