Knee Cracks When Squatting?

Anyone have this problem? Is this tendonitis or something else? My knee cracks/pops when squatting just.

Thanks

Yeah, me too. Even with no weights, it crackles like crazy. It doesn’t hurt, but it makes me wonder what’s going on in there.

Mine do too and have for quite some time now. It’s pretty loud, it’s not painful and doesn’t affect anything I do in or out of the gym so I don’t worry about it and I keep training.

[quote]Hawkson101 wrote:
Anyone have this problem? Is this tendonitis or something else? My knee cracks/pops when squatting just.

Thanks[/quote]

It’s not a problem unless it’s causing you one. Is it? Are you unable to train? Having problems walking or doing anything else unrelated outside of the gym? If it was tendonitis you would know it because you would have pain and probably wouldn’t be able to squat unless you really blocked it out mentally and few will or can do that.

In my knee when it cracks it is a patella tracking issue due to poor timing/control of my vastus medialis.

Does it cause you pain? Does your joint lock up?

If it’s causing you any worry (i.e. pain or impairment of movement) see a specialist (preferably versed in rehabilitation or sports medicine).

My knee has been cracking like this for the last 17 years. It is getting worse, but very, very slowly.

Any popping or realigning of the knee is generally normal, if it happens occasionally. That happens to everone no? It just pops, doesn’t necessiarily hurt, and you move on. Kind of like when you crack your finger knuckles.

The textbooks say, generally, when it is like a cheesegrater grinding sound, like “krick krick crackle krick” through the range of motion, that’s when you are supposed to worry. It is my understanding that is an indication of degeneration of the cartilige tissue.

Which is, what I seem to have. While it hasn’t caused me any pain or inury thus far (i’m 31), i’m thinking it might sooner or later. Hopefully… Later.

Mine usually crack or creak when I do warm up sets of squats or front squats. It doesn’t hurt and usually goes away when I get into the working sets. So I don’t think it’s a problem. I hope…

[quote]mithious wrote:
The textbooks say, generally, when it is like a cheesegrater grinding sound, like “krick krick crackle krick” through the range of motion, that’s when you are supposed to worry. It is my understanding that is an indication of degeneration of the cartilige tissue.

Which is, what I seem to have. While it hasn’t caused me any pain or inury thus far (i’m 31), i’m thinking it might sooner or later. Hopefully… Later.[/quote]

My knee does this also. Had a reco 10 years ago now I get crackles and occasional pain. My other knee (also surgery) grinds at the end rom in a deep squat, so I try and avoid this. It pops and clicks and hrts from time to time.

I’m 30 and would expect to get a few more years out of these things before stem cells or plastic knees get involved.

It could indicate a problem with the meniscus (cartlidge). Usually, if it is cartlidge it will become painful, so keep an eye on that. Grinding down your cartlidge is no fun. In case you have not already, just make sure your form is correct and warm up good. That can alleviate alot the noise.

My knees have been crackling since I was a teenager (31 now) and all doctors I’ve seen about it said it was normal and not a problem.

However, my left knee goes clonk every time I squat, just as I’m reaching parallel (even without weight). I’ve seen 3 doctors about it, and they didn’t have a clue, yet tried to make up some lame cause for it. It feels like I have a ligament or something that gets caught and then snaps free as I hit parallel. If I’ve warmed up extensively, the clonking sound isn’t as loud, but it’s always there.

Anybody else have this issue?

My knees used to loudly crack as well when I would do any type of squatting movement (weights or not). It wasn’t painful, just sort of annoying (and a little embarrassing as people would occasionally stare).

Anyway, I started taking Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM about a year and a half ago. I think it took a few months, but the cracking went away and I haven’t had any problems since. I continue to take the supplements daily.

[quote]ocn2000 wrote:
It could indicate a problem with the meniscus (cartlidge). Usually, if it is cartlidge it will become painful, so keep an eye on that. Grinding down your cartlidge is no fun. In case you have not already, just make sure your form is correct and warm up good. That can alleviate alot the noise. [/quote]

ive torn mine 8 times now and havent gotten it fixed yet,though i have been saving up the money,been taking awhile.

[quote]jmwintenn wrote:
ocn2000 wrote:
It could indicate a problem with the meniscus (cartlidge). Usually, if it is cartlidge it will become painful, so keep an eye on that. Grinding down your cartlidge is no fun. In case you have not already, just make sure your form is correct and warm up good. That can alleviate alot the noise.

ive torn mine 8 times now and havent gotten it fixed yet,though i have been saving up the money,been taking awhile.[/quote]

Jesus! 8 times. I tore mine once and that was bad enough. Kept me off leg workouts for quite awhile. Glad you were able to keep going.

[quote]Miserere wrote:
My knees have been crackling since I was a teenager (31 now) and all doctors I’ve seen about it said it was normal and not a problem.

However, my left knee goes clonk every time I squat, just as I’m reaching parallel (even without weight). I’ve seen 3 doctors about it, and they didn’t have a clue, yet tried to make up some lame cause for it. It feels like I have a ligament or something that gets caught and then snaps free as I hit parallel. If I’ve warmed up extensively, the clonking sound isn’t as loud, but it’s always there.

Anybody else have this issue?[/quote]

How is the muscle and connective tissue balance about your knee? Does your patella move freely in extension? Can you move it while in flexion?

As you go deeper into knee flexion the contact area between the patella and the femur becomes greater and the patella is usually forced in between the grooves of the femoral condyles.

Bear in mind that this is purely internet speculation as I have not examined you (and am not yet qualified to do so), but it may be that your lateral (outside) muscles and connective tissue are shortened/less extensible/over-dominant (whatever you want to call it, these are different concepts but I hope you get the idea) when compared to your medial (inside) ones and as such your patella may only attain correct alignment as it is forced to do so.

There are other more serious things that may be affected (i.e. meniscii, associated ligaments), so don’t take this post (that took me a couple of minutes to write) as anything close to a diagnosis.

If it’s causing you pain or distress I would recommend you see a physiotherapist.

[quote]Miserere wrote:
My knees have been crackling since I was a teenager (31 now) and all doctors I’ve seen about it said it was normal and not a problem.

However, my left knee goes clonk every time I squat, just as I’m reaching parallel (even without weight). I’ve seen 3 doctors about it, and they didn’t have a clue, yet tried to make up some lame cause for it. It feels like I have a ligament or something that gets caught and then snaps free as I hit parallel. If I’ve warmed up extensively, the clonking sound isn’t as loud, but it’s always there.

Anybody else have this issue?[/quote]

I had a similar issue if I fully flexed my knee whle weight bearing on it. Felt like something moving like maybe LCL.

Turned out to be my lateral meniscus. It was probably a congenital issue, and I managed to bucket handle tear 2/3 of it so now I have fuck all lateral meniscus. Doc said was probably a hypermobile meniscus, just flipping around in there until one day it ripped while I sat up quickly in bed.

Hopefully yours is a different issue. I’d get it seen by someone who really knows their shit if I were you.

Well for me, when I hit parallel my hamstring tendon snaps over the boney lateral protrusion of my knee. Suffice to say, with 140kgs on my back, is not cool.

So for squats, I go down to about halfway. If I feel the (lateral hamstring) tendon click, i know I’ve gone too far, so I try to keep it just above parallel.

I am not kidding when I say if I meet the person who can coach me to go ATG, I will give them a medal. I so wish I could, but I fear that my genetics just won’t let me do it, so I got as low as I can, before I feel the flick.

[quote]Sxio wrote:
Well for me, when I hit parallel my hamstring tendon snaps over the boney lateral protrusion of my knee. Suffice to say, with 140kgs on my back, is not cool.

So for squats, I go down to about halfway. If I feel the (lateral hamstring) tendon click, i know I’ve gone too far, so I try to keep it just above parallel.

I am not kidding when I say if I meet the person who can coach me to go ATG, I will give them a medal. I so wish I could, but I fear that my genetics just won’t let me do it, so I got as low as I can, before I feel the flick. [/quote]

Mine felt like the tendon aswell. When it really clicked hard my popletus would swell up (bakers syst). This was a sign of meniscus issues.

[quote]christine wrote:
My knees used to loudly crack as well when I would do any type of squatting movement (weights or not). It wasn’t painful, just sort of annoying (and a little embarrassing as people would occasionally stare).

Anyway, I started taking Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM about a year and a half ago. I think it took a few months, but the cracking went away and I haven’t had any problems since. I continue to take the supplements daily.[/quote]

Which brand do you take? I think I’ll get back on it. It never seems to make much difference, but I think I should try different brands.

Did you take fish oil aswell?

[quote]Andrew Dixon wrote:
christine wrote:
My knees used to loudly crack as well when I would do any type of squatting movement (weights or not). It wasn’t painful, just sort of annoying (and a little embarrassing as people would occasionally stare).

Anyway, I started taking Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM about a year and a half ago. I think it took a few months, but the cracking went away and I haven’t had any problems since. I continue to take the supplements daily.

Which brand do you take? I think I’ll get back on it. It never seems to make much difference, but I think I should try different brands.

Did you take fish oil aswell?[/quote]

I take the Costco Kirkland brand. I take the Costco fish oil as well. I started taking the fish oil at the same time I started taking the others, so it could be that the fish oil had something to do with the improvement as well.

Whatever it is, it is working for me!

Mine didn’t use to but it has started but only at first. After I am warmed up, it stops.