Dorothy FarrarKnee cracking
The cracking in the knee is so loud that it is not only heard by those affected. Everyone who is in the immediate vicinity gets it. Patients describe it as uncomfortable because it reverberates in the head like an echo.
What is cracking knee?
It doesn’t matter what movements the symptoms occur with. They are always perceived as unpleasant and are not even necessarily painful. The cracking is noticeable when kneeling down and climbing stairs. Sometimes you can even feel it with every step. The phenomenon can be derived from the anatomy of the knee . The kneecap is embedded in a hollow and is surrounded by ligaments and tendons. It lies between the lower leg and the thigh and painful rubbing of the bones is caused by the synovia ( synovial fluid) prevented. As soon as the kneecap no longer rests properly in its bed, a cracking or crunching occurs. Children are already affected, although the number of older patients is higher. However, it is clear that the symptoms appear at any age.
causes
First of all, it is an overload that is responsible for the cause of the crunching in the knee. An extended hike or endurance run is then an option. It also occurs after intensive training in the fitness center, where heavy weights have to be lifted. It is often heard in children when they squat down. Then it may be that there are small air bubbles in the synovial fluid. As soon as the sufferer kneels down, these blisters burst and cause the noise.
Injuries from sports activities also lead to cracking in the knee. These can be so far in the past that the patient no longer even thinks about them. Permanent malpositions sometimes also cause the annoying cracking. In many people, this even leads to arthrosis or arthritis in the long run. An important factor in the causes is obesity . In this case, the legs are overloaded and the thigh is no longer able to absorb the weight in such a way that the knee is not overly stressed. Lack of exercise is a cause that should not be underestimated. Even with cracking knees or painful movements, you must not remain in a resting position.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
A cracking knee is often not a reason to see a doctor. Many people occasionally experience cracking noises during movement or when performing sports activities. If there are no additional complaints, in many cases there is no cause for concern. If the person concerned suffers from other symptoms such as pain, a doctor’s visit is necessary. If swelling of the knee is found, further investigations should also be initiated.
If the cracking in the knee leads to a misalignment of the bones or to a disposition of the knee joint, a doctor must be consulted immediately. If changes to the skin occur due to reddening of the skin or growths, a doctor should be consulted. With a chronic disease, the cracking sound changes. This is a warning that must be followed up. The noises may become louder or softer. In addition, the frequency of occurrence changes.
People around you often feel bothered by a cracking knee. Before disagreements and conflicts arise, a doctor should be consulted. If the cracking in the knee persists for a long time, it is advisable to consult a doctor. There may be a bad posture that leads to long-term damage to the skeletal system and thus further complaints. A timely correction of the movement sequences is therefore necessary.
diagnosis and course
Short-term cracking, which occurs without pain, does not require further diagnosis. As soon as the knee swells or pain sets in, an examination by a specialist is essential. This will first carry out a manual check of the joint . He moves the knee in different directions and recognizes when the symptoms occur. He also determines how the joint can still be bent and stretched.
Often the symptoms are also the cause of damage to the hip. The doctor will also take this aspect into account. This is followed by the instrumental examination. He X-rays the knee joint with a conventional apparatus. The second possibility is that he wants to see images in multiple layers. This examination is carried out with a computer tomograph . MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is also often used. This means that even the smallest foci of inflammation or tumors can be identified. He can inject a contrast medium to make absolutely sure that all regions are clearly recognizable. In some cases, a puncture of the knee joint is required. The secretion is then tested for bacteria in a special laboratoryinvestigated, which are the cause of inflammation.
complications
A cracking knee does not necessarily indicate a medical complication and therefore does not necessarily have to be treated by a doctor. However, if the cracking in the knee occurs over a longer period of time and is associated with pain, a doctor should be consulted. In most cases, the cracking noise alone is harmless, as it is a normal noise. The symptom is more common in women than men and is also a normal condition.
Complications arise when the crack becomes a crunch. Cartilage can be damaged here, and in many cases osteoarthritis spreads, which can be treated with surgery. The procedure should take place at an earlier age to minimize the risk of surgery. In old age, problems with the knees can be treated well with the help of injections. In the worst case, a cracking knee can cause pain and restrict movement. However, this case occurs very rarely and is mainly triggered by a lack of treatment. If the cracking knee is treated in time, there is usually no further damage.
treatment and therapy
The simplest treatment is movement of the joint. Water aerobics are recommended for severe pain caused by overexertion. Water and bath therapy is often carried out in a group. If the reason is inflammation, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic . This can be injected directly into the joint or given orally. In the case of severe inflammation that has already attacked the synovial fluid, a stay in the hospital is necessary. There, a surgeon opens the joint and removes the pus .
At the same time, he can put an antibiotic directly into the wound and thus speed up the healing process. There are also outpatient procedures that are performed in the form of minimally invasive surgery. If the doctor determines that obesity is the cause of knee grinding, a diet plan should be followed. Since the wrong shoes can also lead to the symptoms, it is necessary to go to the orthopedic shoemaker in this case. If the legs are overloaded, targeted training of the thigh muscles can help.
Good practices also offer electro or ultrasound therapies . With the help of electric currents or sound waves, the joint is influenced in such a way that it recovers and the synovial fluid becomes supple again. Anti-inflammatories and pain-relieving tablets are an effective support measure. However, this therapy should not be carried out for a long time and only under medical supervision. As a last measure, and only if it is absolutely necessary, is the use of a knee prosthesis. The pros and cons have to be carefully weighed here. No surgeon can guarantee that the artificial joint will work the way the patient wants it to.
outlook and prognosis
A cracking knee does not always have to be associated with health problems or complications. In many cases, cracking the knee is harmless and can be ignored if there is no knee pain or swelling. However, it cannot be predicted whether the cracking will go away on its own in the further course or not. However, if the knee cracking is associated with pain, the underlying disease causing the pain must be treated. This can be caused by arthrosis or problems with the tendons.
Whether a complete cure of this complaint is possible depends heavily on the underlying disease. With the help of various therapies and sporting activities, cracking in the knee can be limited relatively well, so that there are no further complaints or pain. Treatments with cold and heat can also have a positive effect on the complaint and prevent it. As a rule, the patient’s life expectancy is not reduced or limited by this disease.
prevention
If you want to prevent diseases of the knee joint, you should move. When doing sports, he must pay attention to movements that are easy on the joints. The thighs should be strengthened and the knee relieved. Swimming and cycling are particularly good options here. If you have a sedentary job, you have to stretch your legs from time to time and should work standing up in between. This is the only way to ensure that the joint is supplied with sufficient blood and the synovia is well nourished.
If you like wearing high heels, you have to be aware that this puts unnecessary strain on your knees. Flat, comfortable shoes are much healthier and also look good. Everyone should be aware that being overweight is poison for all joints. The hip and knee joints are particularly affected and both are unnecessarily strained. So, regular exercise and conscious eating helps to prevent painful knee joint problems in this context.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.