If your knee snaps, crackles, and pops while you are walking or bending down, you are also likely feeling a lot of pain. There are many things that can cause this to happen, two of which are listed below. After identifying the cause, you can get the help you need so your knee will quiet down.
Knee Osteoarthritis
This problem could be due to having osteoarthritis in your knee. It is common to hear these sounds when you bend over, but you should worry if it happens only in one location or if you also feel pain. Swelling around the knee joint, stiff knees, and tenderness, are all additional symptoms of osteoarthritis. It is important that you visit a doctor, because arthritis damages bones and cartilage.
Your doctor can do tests to determine if you have osteoarthritis and then start treatment. For example, if you are currently overweight, the doctor will ask you to lose weight. The doctor can also inject corticosteroids into your knee to help with pain and prescribe you anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers. You will also need to have physical therapy to help you gain more mobility.
If you continue to feel a lot of pain in your knee, the doctor may suggest that you have knee replacement surgery. You will then be completely back to normal after your recovery period.
If you start getting treatment as soon as you notice this pain, you have a much higher chance of stopping the progression so you will not have to have surgery.
Knee Ligament Problems
This can also be caused by ligament problems. The knee ligaments are thick bands of tissue that give your knee joints stability. There are ligaments grouped in different areas around your knee. If you work out a lot, play sports, or have some kind of injury, you might tear or strain one or more ligaments. Once this happens you knee will become very unstable. This will also cause a lot of pain because once you start having ligament problems, the bones in your knee will rub together. If not taken care of, your joints could tear or your knee could dislocate.
Besides making the snap, crackle, and pop sounds, your knee may swell or give in while you are walking and standing.
To treat this problem, the doctor will ask you to rest your knee, as well as wear a knee brace. You can use an ice pack to reduce swelling, and the doctor will prescribe you pain medication. The doctor may also suggest physical therapy.
If you have a large ligament tear or the above treatments do not help at all, the doctor will likely suggest that you have surgery to repair the ligament.
Talk with your doctor, like those at Sarasota Arthritis Center, about these two things and they can give you more information.
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