Each of us has heard a crunch in the knees when squatting while doing an exercise or squatting on a chair, sofa, squatting, etc. This sound can be heard not only by people actively involved in sports, but also by those who are far from it.
You don't have to lift a barbell or weights to hear a crunching sound in your knees when squatting. Indeed, during this movement, the knee joint takes on all the work of flexing and extending the leg, while providing shock absorption.
At the same time, the knee bears at least a load in the form of body weight. And if you also work with a barbell, then the selected weight is added.
In case of ailments of the musculoskeletal system, you must immediately contact competent specialists to solve the problem.
What is creaking and crunching in the knee joint? This is the body signaling that there are certain problems that need to be addressed.
And if the sound is accompanied by discomfort, pain and unpleasant sensations, then this may be a sign of various ailments. In this case, you should not delay, but it is better to immediately consult a doctor.
In this article we will try to figure out why the knee crunches when squatting and how to deal with it. But before that, let’s look at the structure of the knee joint.
The knee joint is subject to stress even during a resting state, when there is no activity. Is it worth realizing that when running or lifting weights, the joint experiences extreme stress?
Arthritis and osteoarthrosis are the leaders of joint diseases. Their peculiarity is that they sneak up very unnoticed and at the most inopportune moments.
With age, metabolic processes slow down and cartilage tissue ages. Poor nutrition and lifestyle speed up this process significantly. This explains the fact that many young people already have pathologies of the joints and not only the knees!
Therefore, it is not surprising that already at the age of 30, some people have knees that crack when squatting. Let's try to understand in more detail the reasons for this disgrace, as well as how to protect your knees from this.
Looking ahead, it is worth noting that all joints, without exception, must be taken as seriously as possible!
As a rule, pathologies become an irreversible process that can only be slowed down or stopped, but returning everything back to its original state is an almost impossible task. Therefore, if your knees creak when squatting, you should immediately contact a competent specialist.
Crunching in the knees when squatting and standing up can be caused by a number of reasons. Each of them deserves special attention. Let's look at them in more detail with all the necessary details:
#1 Excessive stress on the joint when lifting weights
#2 Overweight
As mentioned above, even at rest the joint is under load. And if you are overweight, the knee joint suffers greatly when walking, and especially running.
Many beginners, when joining the gym or starting a weight loss campaign, start running or trying to squat with heavy weights, hoping to burn as many calories as possible. As a result, this approach results in premature wear of the joint.
No. 3 Insufficient amount of joint fluid or change in its composition
The joint fluid acts as a kind of lubricant, with the help of which all the rubbing elements do not come into contact with each other. When it is deficient or the structure changes, friction between the moving elements begins. This can cause inflammation and, as a result, loss of mobility.
#4 Wrong diet
A good solution would be to purchase and use specialized supplements. Taking them will help not only the knees, but also other joints. Another important point is regular water consumption. The body should receive 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day, and at least 3-4 when playing sports. This is beneficial not only for joints, but also for muscles and internal organs.
No. 5 Presence of inflammatory processes in the joints
This is more a consequence than a cause. Inflammation can provoke unpleasant diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism or gonarthrosis.
No. 6 Metabolic disorders
Occurs due to problems with the endocrine system. And even nutritious and proper nutrition will not be able to solve the problem. The body simply will not absorb all the beneficial vitamins and minerals.
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There can be many reasons. For example, a violation of salt and calcium-phosphorus balance in the body. This leads to the deposition of salts, including in cartilage tissues. Because of this, their structure and properties change, which leads first to crunching, and then to unpleasant consequences.
No. 7 Natural aging, degenerative changes, genetic predisposition
In such cases, the crunching will always occur when the joint is working - when squatting, climbing stairs and other everyday activities.
It is worth noting that clicking and crunching in the knees is not always a sign of some kind of injury. This is an easy “bell” that you need to pay attention to these places in order to avoid problems in the future.
All diseases and disorders develop slowly and gradually. Therefore, it is worth limiting the load and starting to find out why this sound appeared.
What to do if your knees crack when squatting? First of all, pay attention to nutrition, lifestyle, shoes and exercise.
Start solving the problem with simple measures - eliminate the above irritants and observe for several weeks. It is also recommended to add some fish oil to your diet and use sports supplements to restore cartilage tissue.
If after this, after a few weeks, there is no improvement, then it is recommended to consult a rheumatologist for consultation and, possibly, further treatment.
Under no circumstances should you try to self-medicate, especially resort to methods of traditional or alternative medicine. This may make the condition worse.
If a person is overweight, you need to try to get in shape as quickly as possible. After all, with obesity, the knee joints already suffer, and if you also do squats, you can “finish them off.”
Separately, it is worth noting that if you have already normalized your diet, are actively training, but are still gaining excess weight, then you should consult with an endocrinologist. As a rule, this indicates a hormonal imbalance.
As for treatment, it all depends on the reason why cracking, crunching, clicking and other sounds occur in the joints:
- When inflammation occurs, nonsteroidal drugs and glucocorticoids are used, and calcium in the body is normalized.
- Additionally, vitamins and minerals are prescribed, as well as physical therapy.
- For complex degenerative changes in cartilage tissue, surgical intervention is prescribed.
If crunching and clicking are not a symptom or sign of a serious disease, then it is necessary to strengthen the joint. For these purposes, the buttocks and hamstring muscles are pumped, which will provide additional stability and support to the joint.
Quite a common question. Of course, if your knees crunch, then no one forbids you to squat. But no one knows what the consequences will be.
Therefore, if taking risks and playing with your health is not your path, then it is better to identify the reason why your knees crack during squats. The very first thing is to adjust the technique of doing squats, it is better to warm up in the gym. As a rule, in some cases everything goes away after these manipulations.
What you can do on your own in this situation, without contacting a specialist:
- Try squatting with your own weight. While performing the movement, try to analyze whether there is any crunching or discomfort.
- If there is no crunch when squatting with your own weight, squat with a weight to compare the sensations.
- Use elastic bands and try squatting. If the crunching does not bother you, then you can continue to exercise, but be sure to listen to your own feelings. If pain or discomfort occurs, stop training immediately.
If your knees click when squatting, you can try not to lower yourself to parallel with the floor, but to bend your legs to an angle of 50-70 degrees. However, such a variation is a half-measure.
After all, most of the load will fall on the quadriceps, and the hamstrings and buttocks will practically not participate in the work. But for the knees, such an amplitude of movement will be very gentle.
A crunch in the knee when squatting without pain is far from the worst problem. The reason may lie in uncomfortable clothing, shoes, diet, or incorrect execution technique.
Knees crunch when squatting: why, what to do
Quite often, absolutely healthy people complain that their knees creak when squatting. This phenomenon should not be ignored. Especially if these movements are accompanied by unpleasant sensations, a feeling of squeezing or discomfort. And if the knee joint begins to change its shape and swell, then a visit to the doctor should under no circumstances be postponed until later.
Development of pathological processes in the knee joint
Problems with the knee joints in a child or a completely healthy and able-bodied person begin unnoticed. First, a crunching sensation occurs in the knees when squatting or simple physical activity. Further, stiffness in movements can be felt after sleeping or sitting at the computer for a long time. And it takes some time for the knee joints to acquire the necessary mobility.
The next stage of development of the pathology is characterized by the response of the lower extremities to changes in weather conditions and hypothermia. Then the knee swells and begins to hurt at night.
Why do such problems begin and what can be done to prevent an innocent crunching from turning into a serious illness? The cause of such pathological changes developing in the knee joint can be both endocrine diseases and malnutrition of cartilage tissue.
In order to understand what therapy is required, it is necessary not only to correctly diagnose the disease and establish the necessary treatment, but also to clearly understand how the knee joint functions.
Anatomy of the knee joint
The knee joint is one of the large joint joints in our body. It bears a large amount of the load that occurs when walking and running. Even, it would seem, when a person does not make any movements, but simply stands, the knees experience enormous tension.
The articular joint is a joint consisting of three elements: the femur and tibia, as well as the patella.
Despite the apparent strength of the joint, reinforced by a system of ligaments and muscle tissue, daily stress on the knees takes its toll.
The gradual wear of the elements leads to the fact that the entire system becomes fragile and a crunch in the knee begins when squatting.
Why does knee crunch occur?
It is very difficult to give an unambiguous answer without special diagnostics. But knees crunch when squatting usually in the following cases:
- impaired salt or calcium-phosphorus metabolism in the body. Such pathological processes can provoke endocrine diseases. The resulting disturbances contribute to the deposition of salts in cartilage tissues, thus changing their structure and basic properties. It is for this reason that in most cases, when squatting, running or walking, the knees of both children and adults crack;
- inflammatory process in the joint, which occurs with arthritis, gonarthrosis, rheumatism and other diseases;
- Uncomfortable shoes and high heels lead to increased stress on the knees. This effect not only affects the knee joint, but further problems arise in the entire musculoskeletal system;
- lifting weights. Certain sports and some professions require certain efforts from a teenager or an adult, which ultimately becomes the cause of functional disorders of the knee joint;
- knee injuries, as well as meniscus damage, sprains or torn ligaments;
- congenital mobility of the knee joint (hypermobility) is accompanied by weak fixation by the muscle tissue of the articular joint, which leads to crunching in the knees when squatting.
How to reduce crunching in your knees
If your knees crack during squats or other physical activity, but there is no pain or visual changes in the knee joint, then you can try to change some of your habits.
To do this, it is worth analyzing your lifestyle . It is possible that lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle are the main factors that cause a crunch in the knee when squatting.
In such cases, experts recommend enrolling in health groups, doing yoga, swimming, water aerobics, or just dancing.
Also, to improve blood circulation in the cartilage tissue of the joint, it is recommended to avoid uncomfortable shoes and tight clothing.
The reason why your knees crack may be a simple lack of microelements, vitamins, or simply poor nutrition. You can reduce the load on your knees due to periodic swelling by increasing your fluid intake and avoiding excessive salt intake.
Home treatment can also improve the condition. For this, warm compresses made from milk and wheat bran or various ointments based on bee or snake venom are used.
Once again, I would like to draw the reader’s attention to the fact that these tips are recommended only in cases where there are no acute inflammatory processes.
Symptoms of inflammatory processes
- If, in addition to crunching in the knees when squatting, other clinical signs of joint inflammation occur, consultation with a specialist is mandatory. Symptoms of a sore knee joint that require examination by a doctor:
- • an increase in the volume of the area where the crunch is heard;
- • there is pain, a strong crunch in the knees when bending;
- • the swelling of the knee has a dense structure;
- • a burning sensation is felt in the knee area.
- With such pathological processes, self-treatment is under no circumstances allowed , since the wrong choice of technique can only worsen the condition.
Treatment of the disease
Crunching of the knees when squatting, accompanied by unpleasant sensations, may indicate the onset of the development of various diseases. Therefore, treatment is selected individually in each case.
It is important to understand that in case of serious violations, pills and ointments will not help. Therefore, going to the doctor should be the first step on the path to recovery.
In case of endocrine disorders, it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist, who will first of all try to normalize metabolic processes, if necessary, advise on how best to lose weight and normalize the functional activity of the parathyroid glands. In addition to the main therapy, medications are prescribed that accelerate the restoration of cartilage tissue (chondoprotectors).
Inflammatory-degenerative processes (arthrosis, coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, etc.) are treated using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, chondoprotectors and calcium supplements. In addition, to improve the condition of cartilage tissue, the specialist prescribes physiotherapeutic procedures, physical therapy and magnetic therapy.
Various injuries, sprains and ligament tears can be treated with both functional rest and surgical correction. For arthroscopy, minimally invasive techniques are considered the best option today.
As for preventive measures to prevent crunching in the knee joints, first of all, you should avoid a sedentary lifestyle, adhere to a healthy diet and monitor your weight. Be healthy and take care of your feet!
Why does your knee crunch when squatting and when should you worry about it?
Crunching in the knees when squatting is a common phenomenon both among athletes and among those who have never gone to the gym. A squat does not necessarily involve a barbell; it is a movement that involves standing up from or sitting down on a chair, or squatting down. Let's figure out what's the matter and why do my knees click?
Briefly about the structure of the knee
We promise not to burden you with the anatomical complexities of the knee joint. Although, the joint is really complex. To understand why the knee is so vulnerable, let's look inside it, what is there under the skin?
And there are several structures connected together - the heads of the tibia and femur, the meniscus and ligaments, due to which this entire structure is held together. If you touch your kneecap, you will notice that it is mobile. Now imagine how complex nature has come up with everything to ensure mobility and, at the same time, strength and physiologically correct functionality of the knee joint. This is not your elbow, although that one is also not entirely simple.
Inside the knee there is joint fluid. If it is deficient, severe friction of the bones against each other will begin, the knee will swell and lose all mobility. By the way, you may have already begun to understand why your knees may hurt. For example, due to lack of joint fluid.
Anatomy of the knee
The knee joint is one of the most complex elements in the human body. It flexes and extends the legs, ensures their mobility in all directions, and promotes coordination of the body in space. The knee must be strong, stable, protected from injury and deformation when carrying out loads.
Knee composition:
- nerve fibers;
- muscles;
- ligaments;
- osteochondral elements.
Osteochondral parts:
- the femur acts as a support for the leg;
- tibia, responsible for the mobility of the limbs;
- The kneecap (patella) protects the joint from injury.
At the bottom of the knee there is cartilage tissue that contributes to the correct formation of the joint socket. The disproportion of the bones is compensated by the presence of menisci that evenly distribute the load on the contacting limbs of the bones and affect the stability of the joint.
Ligaments are strong fiber mechanisms that hold bones securely in place. Thanks to them, the knee retains its structure and function during flexion and extension.
In a normally functioning body, the knee can be damaged only by putting a huge load on it, that is, by tearing a ligament or damaging the cartilage.
The surface of the joint cavity is covered with a liquid-like synovial membrane, which is an additional shock absorber, increases its mobility, and protects against inflammation.
Muscles contribute to flexion and extension of the joint, provide inward and outward movement of the leg, and stability of the lower extremities.
Why knees crunch when squatting: what to do, what are the reasons
Crunching in the knees when squatting is a fairly common occurrence both among those who are new to the sport and among experienced athletes.
Moreover, by squatting in this case we mean not only the well-known exercise with or without a barbell, but also a movement in which a person sits on or gets up from a chair, or squats.
You need to figure out what the reasons for this phenomenon may be, and what to do if you encounter it.
A little about the structure of the knee
The knee joint has a very complex anatomy. It includes several structures connected to each other. These are the heads of the tibia and femur, the meniscus, as well as the ligaments that hold them together. By touching the kneecap, you may notice that it is mobile. This complex structure is designed by nature to provide us with mobility, strength, and correctness of the joint.
Symptoms of the inflammatory process
If, in addition to crunching, your knees also hurt, be sure to consult a doctor and get the necessary treatment. You should also contact your doctor if you experience:
- Swelling of the knee joint.
- Severe pain when bending the knee.
- Increasing the volume of the area where pain and crunching are noted.
- Burning sensation.
- Seal of the tumor structure of the knee.
All this is evidence of the development of a complication - an inflammatory process that requires immediate treatment of the diseased joint.
