Knees grinding

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RenaTX
RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Since I was around 21 years of age my knees have been grinding and they sound horrible. I've talked to two doctors and a chiropractor and none of them seemed concerned and didn't offer any solutions

I recently found taking collagen had really helped with this so going up stairs and normal movement doesn't cause them to grind but exercises such as weight lifting, squats etc and I can hear them grinding really bad. I'm not sure what I can do and whether this is a cause for concern.

I read that this could be Chondromalacia but I'm not really sure what to do about this other than take it easy on my knees but does this mean no stairs and no weight lifts which involve my knees?


Thank You

Replies

  • badbcatha05
    badbcatha05 Posts: 200 Member
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    I have chondromalacia. I run. I do squats, I do lunges, dead lifts. In a former life, I even figure skated, ran track, and fenced with it. I have, however, gone through several rounds of PT most of it focused on addressing muscle imbalances in my thighs. Mine tends to rear its ugly little head when I have a long period of inactivity. Generally once I get back on track and make sure to take care of those muscles, it settles down. Though I am mindful of how hard I run and the load that I put on them.

    You say you have talked to two doctors, have either been an orthopedist? That's what I have seen for mine... If you haven't I would recommend one and see what they say. Perhaps they would recommend a round of physical therapy to help you learn appropriate ways to workout.
  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
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    What is your diet like? Do you eat enough protein to get the proper amino acids your body needs?

    Maybe you should look into that?

    I've heard some people who have had knee grinding issues with squats & deadlifts...they said taking glutamine has helped. Basically it's an amino acid found naturally in meat, just ground up in a flavorless powder form. One guy on a forum called it nature's WD-40.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glutamine_effectiveness.htm

    You can also get a good protein powder blend (I suggest BSN Syntha-6 or ON Gold Standard Whey). Most quality protein powders like that will have lots of the amino acids your body needs.

    Just something to consider & try, but always take your doctors advice over someone on a forum board!
  • kupster76
    kupster76 Posts: 4
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    I found my knees doing the same thing while working out about four years ago. My doctor told me that it was possibly arthritis. For the last three years I have been going in for biweekly massages. I started specifically in hopes it would help with my knee pain. I am happy to report that within about 3 months of these biweekly maintenance massages my knees no longer grind or pop while working out. The only time I really have problems any more is when my massage therapist is out of town for any length of time, but once I get back in to see her everything goes back to normal.

    So my suggestion is that if you can afford them - start a maintenance massage program with a massage therapist. Your entire body will thank you and work better for you for the long haul.:happy:
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    I have had knee problems all of my life, right from a toddler until age 39. They grinded, cartilage would break off and sometimes fill with water. Pain every single day of my life and I could never do a squat. Since changing my diet 21 months ago I now have ZERO knee pain. The cartilage has repaired, no grinding and I can do unending squats and it only feels great. This won't likely be what you want to hear: IT'S THE FOOD. When I quit wheat, sugar (I'm ketogenic), and nightshades temporarily I was miraculously cured. I now eat nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants etc) but in very limited amounts and not every day. I rarely eat grain, never wheat and keep even natural sugars to a minimum. I'm in the best health of my life and at almost my lowest adult weight (I gained a few pounds recently due to letting my sugar consumption get out of hand and had a tiny bit of knee pain come with the increased sugar).
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
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    I have chondromalacia. I run. I do squats, I do lunges, dead lifts. In a former life, I even figure skated, ran track, and fenced with it. I have, however, gone through several rounds of PT most of it focused on addressing muscle imbalances in my thighs. Mine tends to rear its ugly little head when I have a long period of inactivity. Generally once I get back on track and make sure to take care of those muscles, it settles down. Though I am mindful of how hard I run and the load that I put on them.

    You say you have talked to two doctors, have either been an orthopedist? That's what I have seen for mine... If you haven't I would recommend one and see what they say. Perhaps they would recommend a round of physical therapy to help you learn appropriate ways to workout.

    Actually neither was . I saw my family doctor when I was young about this and just gave up. I wish someone told me to try an orthopedist. I'll check one out Thank You!
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    What is your diet like? Do you eat enough protein to get the proper amino acids your body needs?

    Maybe you should look into that?

    I've heard some people who have had knee grinding issues with squats & deadlifts...they said taking glutamine has helped. Basically it's an amino acid found naturally in meat, just ground up in a flavorless powder form. One guy on a forum called it nature's WD-40.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glutamine_effectiveness.htm

    You can also get a good protein powder blend (I suggest BSN Syntha-6 or ON Gold Standard Whey). Most quality protein powders like that will have lots of the amino acids your body needs.

    Just something to consider & try, but always take your doctors advice over someone on a forum board!

    Truthfully since I've been on MFP I find myself struggling to get enough protein but I am making it a point. I've only been here for a week so I can't speak for most of my life whether I am or not. I do like meat though! I'll try your suggestions and see how it's working out so Thank You!!
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    I found my knees doing the same thing while working out about four years ago. My doctor told me that it was possibly arthritis. For the last three years I have been going in for biweekly massages. I started specifically in hopes it would help with my knee pain. I am happy to report that within about 3 months of these biweekly maintenance massages my knees no longer grind or pop while working out. The only time I really have problems any more is when my massage therapist is out of town for any length of time, but once I get back in to see her everything goes back to normal.

    So my suggestion is that if you can afford them - start a maintenance massage program with a massage therapist. Your entire body will thank you and work better for you for the long haul.:happy:

    I like massages so that's not a bad suggestion at all. Granted I always had them focused on my shoulders and back lol. I can definitely add more and focus on my knees. Thank You!
  • reddz12
    reddz12 Posts: 350 Member
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    I have the same problem. it could be crepitus ( that's what my case is, the cartilage runs thin at the joints) I would however get it checked out to make sure its not more serious
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    I have had knee problems all of my life, right from a toddler until age 39. They grinded, cartilage would break off and sometimes fill with water. Pain every single day of my life and I could never do a squat. Since changing my diet 21 months ago I now have ZERO knee pain. The cartilage has repaired, no grinding and I can do unending squats and it only feels great. This won't likely be what you want to hear: IT'S THE FOOD. When I quit wheat, sugar (I'm ketogenic), and nightshades temporarily I was miraculously cured. I now eat nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants etc) but in very limited amounts and not every day. I rarely eat grain, never wheat and keep even natural sugars to a minimum. I'm in the best health of my life and at almost my lowest adult weight (I gained a few pounds recently due to letting my sugar consumption get out of hand and had a tiny bit of knee pain come with the increased sugar).

    I just recently started avoiding gluten due to PCOS and hormones. I'm also cutting down on sugar ( to comply with the PCOS diet ) but didn't think about neighshades. I'll check that out and see how it works for me Thank You all!
  • RenaTX
    RenaTX Posts: 345 Member
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    I have the same problem. it could be crepitus ( that's what my case is, the cartilage runs thin at the joints) I would however get it checked out to make sure its not more serious

    Thanks it seems like I'm over due to do this. Thank you!
  • Amandawith3kids
    Amandawith3kids Posts: 367 Member
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    i have that. in my case it's a patella tracking disorder. specifically patellafemoral disorder. causes cracking, popping, grinding, pain going up and down stairs, and a few other things. the ortho referred me to physical therapy, but i cant afford it, so i suffer. :( i cant do any kind of squat, lunge, deadlift, or any other thing that requires a deep knee bend. also no running. it SUCKS
  • tattednrse
    tattednrse Posts: 3
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    I have ginding REALLY bad in my shoulders (so yes different joints but possibly the same issue) and I am currently doing heavy weight training for a competition in October which has caused my shoulders to flair up. My trainer suggested I start taking Omega 3-6-9 to help my joints (it's available at walmart), he said its the most effective supplement out there (better even than glucosamine and condroitin). I would suggest giving this a try, not only is it good for your joints but for your heart as well. :)
  • sassycraftyfit
    sassycraftyfit Posts: 31
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    I have had grinding in my knees due to maltracking - patella femoral syndrome. My left knee got so bad that my knee started dislocating and I eventually had patella-realignment surgery 10 years ago. My right knee is not anywhere near as bad. I run half marathons and am training for a full marathon, and the only time I have pain now is when I skimp on strengthening my legs - especially the muscles supporting/stabilizing the knee. Definitely see an orthopedic doctor - they specialize in these types of things and will be able to help you much more than just a family doctor! Good luck!

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