Crunching in the elbow joint during extension: what to do

Crunching in the elbow joint occurs both for natural, physiological reasons and due to the development of pathology. This joint is characterized by increased flexibility due to strong but elastic ligaments and tendons. Any external or internal negative factor can disrupt the smooth functioning of the elbow joint. If clicks begin to be heard during its flexion or extension, then you cannot treat them as a temporary phenomenon. The cause of the crunching or crackling sound should be determined and treated if necessary.

When making a diagnosis, an orthopedist or traumatologist uses data from radiography, CT, MRI, and arthroscopy. Depending on the detected pathology, patients are advised to take medications, massage, physical therapy, and physiotherapeutic measures. At the rehabilitation stage, the use of folk remedies is allowed - rubbing, compresses, infusions, homemade ointments.

Pathological causes

The pathological causes of cracking in the joints are indicated by their morning swelling, stiffness of movement and pain. Crunching occurs in the final stages of the disease, when almost all cartilage tissue is destroyed. The “bare” bone heads come into contact when moving, which causes the sound. If the elbow joint hurts and swells, does not bend or straighten fully, but there is no characteristic cracking sound, then all is not lost. Carrying out adequate therapy will slow down the development of pathology and preserve the function of the elbow joint. Crunching usually accompanies the following diseases of moderate and severe severity:

gouty, rheumatoid, psoriatic, juvenile arthritis, accompanied by inflammation of the elbow;
tendonitis, tendovaginitis - acute or chronic inflammation of the tendon and/or the surrounding membrane;
osteoarthritis, occurring against the background of destruction of hyaline cartilage, proliferation of the edges of bone plates;
synovitis, bursitis - inflammatory processes in the synovium, clearly localized or spreading to tendons, ligaments, soft tissues;
chondrocalcinosis, manifested in the gradual accumulation of calcium salt crystals in the joint.

You can get rid of a crunch in your elbow only by curing the underlying disease that caused it. Tendonitis, tendovaginitis, sinusitis, bursitis respond well to treatment with glucocorticosteroids, NSAIDs, and sometimes antibiotics. Osteoarthritis and systemic arthritis of the elbow cannot yet be completely cured. Doctors strive to transfer the pathology to a stage of stable remission, at which the severity of symptoms sharply decreases.

What to do if your elbow clicks during extensions and push-ups

What to do if negative symptoms appear? See a professional orthopedist as soon as possible to rule out serious damage to the joint tissues. Sometimes seeking medical help early can eliminate the risk of developing disability. In our manual therapy clinic, if your elbow clicks when doing push-ups and extensions, they will conduct an initial diagnosis and recommend an absolutely safe and effective treatment.

In particular, osteopathy and therapeutic massage are widely used. Specialists create favorable conditions for restoring normal blood supply to damaged cartilage tissue. To speed up the regeneration processes, reflexology and pharmacopuncture are used. With the help of acupuncture, you can “wake up” and activate the body’s internal reserve forces. They will contribute to a quick recovery and restoration of the usual mobility of the upper limb.

Kinesitherapy and therapeutic exercises under the guidance of experienced instructors are also offered. After completing the training, you will be able to do an individually designed set of physical exercises yourself at home.

Natural causes

Contrary to popular belief, crunching does not always become a sign of the development of a severe inflammatory or dystrophic-degenerative disease. A characteristic sound (crepitus) occurs when a large bubble of carbon dioxide collapses. During flexion or extension of the elbow, the bursa changes shape. It stretches, flattens, and the pressure in it decreases sharply. The intra-articular viscous fluid is filled with carbon dioxide, from which a large bubble is formed, collapsing with a sharp, specific sound. What else is considered to be the natural causes of crunching in the elbows:

increased concentration of proteins in the synovial fluid due to excess protein products in the diet. Synovium becomes viscous and thick with the development of the inflammatory process, so the cause of this condition must be finally established;
deficiency of synovial fluid, which performs a shock-absorbing function. Characteristic clicks or crunches occur when the articular surfaces come into contact in the absence of lubrication. Lack of synovium in the elbow joint is a sign of natural aging of the body, as is decreased collagen production. Fluid deficiency is found in athletes after intense sports training or people doing hard work;
sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity provokes deterioration of blood supply, blood stagnation and a sharp increase in the concentration of proteins in the synovium. A large number of bubbles accumulate in the joint fluid. Therefore, any movement is accompanied by a crunching, clicking sound in the elbow joint.

Sound accompaniment is typical for flexion, extension, and rotation of the joint in older children and adolescents. The reason is spasmodic development, in which the ligamentous-tendon apparatus simply does not have time to form against the background of rapid growth of bone mass.

Girls and young women with joint hypermobility experience discomfort from crunching joints. They have flexible joints due to the production of special collagen in the body. It is more elastic, but less durable, so when the ligaments are stretched, a crunch occurs. With age, such women are diagnosed with varicose veins. Frequent dislocations also indicate hypermobility.

Diagnostic measures

If a crunch appears in the elbow joint, you need to carry out all the necessary diagnostic measures as quickly as possible. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, it is recommended to begin treatment as quickly as possible.

To make a correct diagnosis, you should consult an orthopedist. If on the eve of the onset of a clinical symptom there was an injury (fall, bruise, excessive physical activity, penetrating wound), then first of all you should visit a traumatologist. This specialist will help eliminate the possibility of a fracture or crack in bone tissue, rupture or sprain of a ligament, tendon or muscle system.

If there was no traumatic impact, and there is no opportunity to make an appointment with an orthopedist, then visit your local physician. In Moscow, you can sign up right now for a free consultation with an orthopedist at our manual therapy clinic.

During the diagnosis, you will be asked to undergo the following examinations:

X-ray of the elbow joint in different projections – helps to exclude the possibility of traumatic injury, destruction of bone tissue, formation of osteophytes, etc.;
Ultrasound of soft tissues;
puncture of the joint capsule to determine the composition of the synovial fluid and eliminate the possibility of intra-articular bleeding;
blood tests (general clinical, biochemical, rheumatic tests);
CT and MRI to visualize the structure of all bone articulation tissues;
If it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis or if there is a suspicion of a violation of tissue integrity, arthroscopy is prescribed - abdominal endoscopic examination of tissue.

Correct diagnosis is 50% of the success of future treatment. The more accurately the diagnosis is made, the more correctly the doctor will develop an individual course of treatment and rehabilitation.

How to get rid of crunching

If the cause of the crunch in the elbow joint is natural and there is no pain during extension or flexion, then treatment is usually not performed. There are no ointments or tablets that can help prevent the formation and collapse of carbon dioxide bubbles. But there are methods that improve the functioning of joints, ligamentous-tendon apparatus, increase the production of synovial fluid, and normalize blood circulation. Such a complex effect will not completely relieve a person from crunching and clicking, but will significantly reduce their number.

Massage treatments

Massage is carried out only in the absence of an inflammatory process of any localization. In all other cases, stroking, kneading, and rubbing hands are useful. Blood begins to flow intensively to the elbow joint, saturating it with nutrients, bioactive substances, and molecular oxygen. The muscles relax, the production of synovial fluid accelerates, and its even distribution occurs. It is better to entrust the treatment procedure to a professional massage therapist who is well aware of the anatomical structure of the joints and how to eliminate crunching.

Proper nutrition

Girls and women who adhere to a mono-diet note a specific crunching sensation in their joints. Their diet consists mainly of low-calorie foods with a high protein content - skim milk, kefir, chicken breast. In order for the musculoskeletal system to function normally, it is necessary to include fatty sea fish, vegetable oil, fresh vegetables and fruits in the daily menu.

Drinking regime

With any disorder of the elbow joint, the water balance in it is disturbed. During inflammation, excess fluid accumulates in the cavity, causing the formation of edema. And synovium deficiency is often explained by the inability of tissues to retain moisture. If the patient does not have serious diseases of the urinary organs, then orthopedists recommend that they drink 2 liters of fluid daily. You should not be afraid of increased tissue swelling: as much fluid enters the body as is removed from it. But at the same time, waste, toxins, and harmful mineral compounds are evacuated.

Alcoholic drinks, strong tea or coffee are not suitable for replenishing fluid reserves. Vegetable juices, fruit compotes, berry fruit drinks, and plain drinking water will help restore the water-salt balance.

Physiotherapy

After a person spends several hours at the computer, and then gets up and makes the first movements, almost all joints crack. These are bubbles of carbon dioxide collapsing. The phenomenon itself is physiological, but the consequences of physical inactivity can negatively affect the condition of the joints. In the absence of adequate blood supply, cartilage begins to deteriorate, provoking the development of osteoporosis. Exercise therapy doctors recommend doing 5-minute exercises every hour, walking in the fresh air, and visiting the pool.

Excessive physical activity also negatively affects elbows, knees, and ankles. The resulting deficiency of synovial fluid and microtrauma of hyaline cartilage lead to irreversible destructive and degenerative changes.

Pharmacological drugs

If the crunch is not accompanied by pain, swelling and stiffness of movement, then you can do without medications. In case of frequent deficiency of synovial fluid, a course of chondroprotectors is indicated - drugs that stimulate recovery processes. Professional athletes take dietary supplements and other drugs with glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Orthopedists, traumatologists, and vertebrologists recommend that all patients over 50-55 years old take chondroprotectors - Teraflex, Structum, Dona, Chondroxide, Arthro-Active. This promotes the full functioning of the joints while reducing the production of synovial fluid and collagen.

Doctors recommend that patients take balanced complexes of vitamins and microelements daily. These are Complivit, Supradin, Vitrum, Centrum, Multitabs. For people over 45-50 years of age, products with a high calcium content are recommended.

Folk remedies

You cannot get rid of physiological crunching with the help of compresses, clay applications or alcohol rubs. In folk medicine, the use of teas and infusions with a general strengthening and tonic effect is practiced. A course of treatment helps improve the functioning of joints by cleansing them of harmful salts, waste, and toxins. To prepare medicinal teas, herbs, roots, and flowers are used, the chemical composition of which contains many flavonoids, phytoncides, vitamins and microelements. They improve blood circulation, prevent the formation of edema, and stimulate accelerated regeneration of any damage. Here are the most effective remedies for regular cracking in the joints:

ginger tea with honey. Place a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger root in a porcelain teapot and add 200 ml of hot water. After 15 minutes, strain and add thick floral honey to taste. Drink 3 times a day with meals;
green tea with oregano and thyme. Pour 0.5 teaspoons of large-leaf green tea, thyme and oregano into the kettle, pour in 1.5 cups of hot water. Leave for 20 minutes, strain, drink instead of regular tea;
propolis with hot milk. Bring a glass of milk to a boil, add a pinch of propolis, simmer for 2-3 minutes. You can add a teaspoon of honey and stir. Drink 2 times a day with meals.

Traditional healers recommend introducing dishes containing gelatin into the diet to improve the condition of joints. This substance is obtained by denaturing collagen, which has chondroprotective properties. Frequent consumption of aspic, fish aspic, berry and fruit jellies helps strengthen ligaments and tendons that ensure joint stability.

Whether a sudden crunch is physiological or pathological is impossible to determine independently. Regardless of whether it is accompanied by painful sensations or not, you should consult a doctor. Having ruled out pathology, the orthopedist will tell you how to get rid of it and at the same time strengthen the joints, ligaments, and tendons.