Cracking joints in the knees. Crunch in the knee joint - causes and treatment. Anatomical structure of the knee joint

Knee crunching when squatting is a common occurrence among both athletes and those who have never gone to the gym. Squatting is optional with a barbell, this is a designation of a movement when a person gets up from a chair or sits on it or squats. Let's see what's the matter and why do the knees click?

Briefly about the structure of the knee

We promise not to load with anatomical complexities 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, meniscus, and ligaments that hold this entire structure together. If you feel your kneecap, you will notice that it is mobile. Now imagine how complicated everything was invented by nature 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 quite simple.

Inside the knee is joint fluid. With its lack, hard friction of the bones against each other will begin, the knee swells and loses all mobility. By the way, you may have already begun to understand why the knees can hurt. For example, due to lack of joint fluid.

Why the knee may suffer:

Violation of the structure of any component of the joint (cartilage, bone, ligaments).
Violation of the composition or volume of the joint fluid.
Violation of the composition of cartilage and ligaments.

Here are the reasons why the knee crunches when squatting. If one of the listed conditions appears, it becomes much easier to damage the knee than in healthy body. In a normally functioning body, it is possible to damage the knee only by giving it a huge load, that is, by tearing a ligament or damaging the cartilage. But at the same time, the knee will immediately swell and will be very painful.

Another thing is with the problems indicated under paragraphs 1, 2, 3. Violations occur gradually, and everything starts with a crunch (a click is heard when bending). So, let's talk about the very crunch and clicking that many people hear when walking up stairs, squats and other movements associated with bending the legs at the knee.

Causes of crunch

Knees crunch or creak for several reasons. Now it will be more clear to you what and how, after a small anatomical digression from the previous section:

Nutrition problems.
Problems with metabolism.
Pathological conditions: inflammatory infectious and non-infectious processes in the knee joint (for example, arthritis).

Nutrition problems

Usually, a person does not consume enough substances that form joints and joint fluid with food. The joint contains glycosaminoglycans (GAGs): chondroitin and glucosamine. This is the basis for cartilage tissue.

At ordinary life knee problems can appear after the age of 50. If you squat with a barbell and work out consistently in gym- the body will need much more of these very GAGs than with the usual rhythm of life. Accordingly, you need to get more of them with food.

That is why athletes are advised to use supplements in the form of "glucosamine + chondroitin". It " Ambulance» for our joints. And we are talking not only about the knee, but also about all other joints. After all, they also consist of the same substances. So the causes of crunching in the knees may lie in the wrong diet.

Next is water. It must be consumed in the right amount. 2-4 liters per day, depending on weight. You will say: "there will be swelling!". But no, if you do not eat a lot of salt, and if your kidneys are healthy, edema will not appear, because the liquid will calmly pass through the body, be absorbed into the right quantities and the excess is expelled from the body. So it was, and so it will be.

Metabolism

The crunch in the knees during squats is just due to the fact that the necessary substances are not enough. But why are these substances not enough if a person eats right?

AT this case It is a metabolic disorder. The body cannot absorb substances in the right quantities, the body gains weight, shortness of breath appears, excessive sweating.

The question is solved at the expense of a campaign to the endocrinologist. Here you can not be treated on your own, because you do not know what to treat, and even more so - how. Forget the advice of colorful sites from the Internet. Just go to the endocrinologist and say: "I'm worried about my metabolism, is everything okay with it?". Next, trust your doctor.

Knees crunch and click not only in adults, a teenager can also have a problem if he has problems with the glands internal secretion. The reasons for this may be in genetic abnormalities or the wrong way life.

If your knees crunch when squatting, it makes sense to limit the load until the exact cause is clarified. Maybe it's time to switch to more gentle exercises.

Diseases

What diseases cause crunchy knees? With those that are associated with damage to cartilage tissue, inflammatory processes or injuries.

The infectious agent disrupts the physiological balance inside the knee, starts the processes of destruction. Swelling, inflammation, changes in the composition of fluids - all this leads to crunching and pain.

Cracking and crunching begin to appear while walking up the stairs, when bending the legs, even from a prone position. So you can find out whether there is a crunch or not. It is usually well heard.

If the crunch brings discomfort, you need to see a doctor. And doctors are different. Someone will send home with the words: “do not invent a disease for yourself,” but someone will really help. So do not despair if the doctor turned out to be the most mediocre creature on the planet. There will always be a good specialist.

What to do if your knees are cracking

What to do if there is a crunch? Is it possible to continue and why?

Let's take everything in order.

If you have a crunch, try to reconsider your diet. You need to start looking for a problem with the most simple reasons. If the problem is nutrition, then it is easiest to solve.

Try adding to your diet for a couple of weeks fish fat or fish fatty varieties, unrefined raw sunflower oil. Your best bet is to buy specific cartilage supplements from a sports store and add them to your menu as well.

If the crunch does not go away, pain appears, which means that the matter is not entirely in nutrition. It is better to consult a specialist (rheumatologist).

Pay attention to your weight, if it is more than 100 kg, maybe that's it? If you limit yourself in calories, but the weight is still going up, you should contact an endocrinologist.

And finally, if you have nighttime knee pain, you should definitely see a doctor. Local warming compresses in this situation are powerless, it is necessary to eliminate the infectious agent from the body. Compresses never did it alone.

If you hurt your knee, it is swollen and sore, it is also better to make an appointment with a doctor. If, after a bruise or a fall, the pain is very strong and sharp, call an ambulance. You should also be careful if your child has broken his knee. After all, children can not always accurately describe their feelings.

Do not self-medicate if the pain persists!

And the most important parting word: if the situation has not changed within 2-3 weeks, you feel worse (we mean the time from the onset of discomfort, and not from the moment of acute pain, when you need to contact a specialist immediately) - contact the hospital.

Is it possible to play sports with a crunch

If you have a crunch, and you need to do squats, you need to pay attention to the following points:

Squat without weight and decide if this crunch brings you discomfort or pain.
Try to squat with weight for the same purpose.
Wrap on your knees elastic bandages and sit down with weight - if the crunch has disappeared, then you can safely do it. If not, squat more carefully, listening to the sensations. If pain occurs, you need to stop exercising until the cause is clarified.

For those people who complain about crunching in the knees, we recommend doing squats not to parallel with the floor, but higher. It is enough to bend the legs at the knees by 50-70 degrees so that the muscles of the legs have already received a load. Do not listen to coaches who will yell at you what you are doing wrong. Your own knees. In addition, people who have not encountered this problem cannot always adequately assess your condition.

You can smear your knees with a warming ointment. Only use it in small amounts, because under the bandage, it can lead to severe burning.

And the last thing: if your knees are crackling, think about whether it is worth going further to the records? Your body is already signaling that it will be difficult for it to perform heavy weight squats. And, if you do not listen to him, everything can end sadly. Listen and respect your body, gentlemen!

Thanks to the perfect musculoskeletal system that nature has provided man, he can move without feeling pain and discomfort. AT normal condition knee joints in enough are supplied with synovial fluid and cartilage, which are a kind of shock absorber for them. Ideally, the knee bends and unbends completely silently, and if suddenly there is a crunch and pain in the knee joint, then this is a reason to see a doctor.

Disease development factors

Many patients, especially women, panic if they crunch their knees while squatting and immediately try to start self-treatment. However, before choosing a way to get rid of such a condition, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence, since the sounds of a strong crunch can be caused by a physiological or pathological condition.

Physiological crunch

A crunch in the joint area is distinguished by its sound (crack or click), which appears during movement, stretching of limbs, flexion, etc. exact reason why joints may crackle has not been established, but there are several predisposing factors.

For example, during squatting, the ligaments cling to the bone, which provokes an unpleasant dull sound in the area patella or as a result of cavitation (collapse of bubbles in the synovial fluid). In this case, a crunch in the knee area is heard during joint flexion (during the divergence of the connecting bones), and the sound resembles a click or vacuum clap.

Sometimes the patient has pain during flexion of the joint and in this case it is important to determine the reasons why a crunch is heard in the knees, because it is possible that such symptoms are caused by intra-articular sprains and ruptures. ligamentous apparatus.

Full and partial break ligamentous apparatus against the background of pain symptoms

Pathological crunch

At pathological causes the appearance of a crunch, it, as a rule, always occurs when the knee joint is extended or flexed and is accompanied by severe or moderate pain. In this case, the crunch can result from any motor activity, which means the appearance of continuous clicks during walking, and some patients are not able to fully move around.

Another cause of crunching in the knees is a possible shift in the place of articulation of the bones. In this case, the joint constantly crunches and hurts while walking, which implies a limitation of the patient's motor activity.

Sometimes a pathological crunch appears as a result of injury or certain diseases. inflammatory nature affecting the periarticular tissue and affecting the cartilage under the cups of the knee with changes in its structure in the future. Such diseases are, for example, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis etc.

The reasons for the development of pathological crunch can be pathological change in the joint tissue

When flexed

The appearance of a crunch during joint flexion refers to inflammatory signs accompanied by changes in the cartilage. At the same time, it is noted dystrophic processes, inflammation in synovial bag, a sharp decline lubrication, insufficient moisture, and progression of symptoms. The factors that cause knee pain and crunch are interconnected with the patient's lifestyle, diseases and damage to the structure of the joint.

When unbending

In this case, the crunch can appear quite suddenly, against the backdrop of complete calm. musculoskeletal system and in the absence of pain symptoms. One of the reasons for this manifestation, experts consider the features of the functioning of the synovial knee bag, since the component of its liquid is carbon dioxide (gas). When moving, it provokes a change in pressure in the area of the articular bag and an increase in the number of bubbles, when bursting which a clicking sound is heard. In addition, such pathological condition occurs in acrobats, gymnasts and swimmers whose sports activities require an increased range of motion.

When squatting

This form of crunch is most common among older patients and is associated with age-related changes in the joints. One of probable causes such a condition is considered a hereditary predisposition to diseases of the joints, as well as a poor ecological situation in the area of \u200b\u200bresidence of a person and impaired metabolism in the body.

In addition, in patients involved in professional sports, knees crunch with increased physical exertion and in case of performing strength exercises. In this case, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed, the nutrition of the cartilage is disturbed, the friction between the surfaces increases and the cartilaginous tissues are destroyed.

Teenagers

Adolescence is characterized by the appearance of pain and crunching in the knees when squatting, which is associated with characteristic changes in the body and active growth child. In this case, the appearance of a crunch is possible as a result of increased extensibility of the ligamentous apparatus and lagging muscle growth from the formation skeletal system. However, it should be borne in mind that after the complete formation of the ligamentous apparatus, the situation returns to normal.

Important in the prevention of the formation of a crunch in adolescence has a reduction in physical activity, ensuring a balanced diet, providing the body with vitamins and minerals, as well as eliminating overstrain on the joints.

Causes of a crunch with pain symptoms

Various diseases, including injury to the meniscus, can lead to the appearance of a crunch, local hyperemia, limitation of motor activity and pain during squatting and flexion of the joint.

Quite often, the knee joint can crunch with the development of tendonitis ( inflammatory process in the area of the tendons attached to the joint)

In addition, the crunch can be caused by bursitis (inflammation of the periarticular bag) and detachment (fractures) of the meniscus. Very rarely, the development of the pathological process leads to patellofemoral syndrome (the initial degree of the pathological process in the knee joint). In addition, joints may crackle in violation of cartilage nutrition.

Other reasons

In addition to the above factors, the cause of pain and the occurrence of a crunch in the knee area can be:

hereditary predisposition to diseases of the joints;
diabetes, hypo (hyper) - parathyroidism, endocrine disorders;
secondary infections against the background of diseases of the joints;
malnutrition with a predominance of sweet and salty foods in the diet;
increased stress on the knee joint (high heels, weight lifting, forced posture etc.);
insufficient physical activity;
diseases that provoke (gout, fractures, kidney failure etc.).

Most common cause crunch is excess weight and often patients at the doctor's appointment ask the question why the joints hurt when moving and what recommendations the doctor can give in this regard.

Diagnosis of a pathological condition

Diagnostic measures primarily involve a detailed history taking (heredity, possible injuries, physical activity, chronic diseases etc.). After completing the survey, the doctor puts provisional diagnosis, and if necessary assigns a series diagnostic procedures to clarify the reason why the joint may crackle.

These include:

hardware technique for examining the knee joint with determining the presence of fluid in the joint, changes in bone and cartilage tissue;
x-ray examination;
knee arthroscopy;
computed tomogram;
MRI and radionuclide research.

Knee ultrasound procedure

After clarifying the diagnosis, the doctor decides how to remove the crunch with the help of medication or auxiliary methods therapy.

As a rule, patients do not know which doctors to contact when a crunch appears in the knee. The first doctor to meet a patient complaining of clicking in the joints when walking is a therapist who treats crunching with mild form reactive arthritis and osteoarthritis in elderly patients.

Depending on the symptoms and preliminary diagnosis, it is possible to consult a rheumatologist who performs all the necessary medical measures at inflammatory diseases joints.

With external deformations of the bones, as well as damage to the cartilaginous tissue in the knee area, the help of a traumatologist is required, and with overweight the body needs the help of a nutritionist who will correct nutrition and make up individual plan weight normalization.

Therapeutic measures

The success of the result depends on how pathological manifestations are treated, with the help of what drugs and dosages. You should not self-medicate, as in some cases this can lead to disability and even death.

Difficulties in therapy are chronic cases, as well as the presence of concomitant diseases. In this case, it is possible to cure the crunch only with integrated approach, taking into account the intensity of manifestations.

The treatment of crunch should be taken seriously:

the patient needs to ensure the rest of the joint, including with the help of a tight, but not pressure bandage;
it is recommended to avoid hypothermia of the joint;
with severe pain symptoms, you should take an anesthetic or apply an anesthetic ointment to the site of inflammation;
to relieve the inflammatory process and relieve pain symptoms, NSAIDs are prescribed (Diclofenac, Ortofen, Ibuprofen, etc.);
with inefficiency nonsteroidal drugs corticosteroids are prescribed (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone, etc.);
to normalize the intraarticular synovial fluid, chondroprotectors (Teraflex, Aflutop, Rumalon, etc.) are prescribed, with which you can get rid of unpleasant crunch in the area of the knees.

With the impotence of a conservative technique, for the treatment of a crunch in the knee, it is recommended surgical intervention with joint replacement for an implant (1 – healthy joint, 2 - with pathological destruction, 3 - implanted)

It is important to remember that before you get rid of the crunch in the knees with surgery, you must make every attempt to restore the knee. traditional ways therapy.

Folk recipes

Strengthen the action medicines capable recipes traditional medicine, which in some cases show quite effective results.

Most commonly used the following ways folk therapy:

you need to take a small amount of wheat bran and pour them warm milk until a mushy mass is formed. The prepared substance is applied to the affected joint, wrapped on top with cling film or parchment paper and a warm towel. Such a compress is kept on the limb for 1 hour, after which it is removed, the knee is rinsed warm water and lubricated with any greasy cream;
another effective tool from a crunch in the knees when walking is a compress of 1 tbsp. spoons of freshly squeezed orange (lemon) juice and 5 tbsp. spoons of olive sunflower oil). The mixture is thoroughly mixed, after which a gauze napkin is dipped into the prepared solution, squeezed out and applied to the knee in the form of a compress for 1–1.5 hours, after which the joint is wrapped in a warm scarf, preferably at night;
a good effect when there is severe pain in the knee, especially when climbing stairs, is a hot bath for 10-15 minutes, followed by rubbing a nourishing or anesthetic cream into the joint;
as remedy it is recommended to use soda lotions (per 1 liter warm water one tablespoon baking soda). A napkin soaked in this solution is applied to the affected area (for 10-15 minutes), then remove the lotion and apply a cream with vitamin A to the knee joint. In its absence, it can be replaced with slightly warmed sunflower oil. Such procedures should be performed every day for a week, before going to bed.

Despite the effectiveness of alternative therapy, before using such recipes, you should consult a doctor in order to avoid possible complications and side effects which can be caused by some herbal preparations.

Physiotherapy

Pain and crunching in the knees can be greatly reduced with physiotherapy exercises, which is selected individually for each patient, depending on the severity pathological manifestations and intensity of symptoms.

The classic exercise therapy complex includes the following exercises:

in the morning, immediately after waking up, lying in bed, it is recommended to perform the exercise "bicycle" and "scissors" (8-12 swings each). Then, in the same position, it is necessary to bend one leg at the knee, pressing it to the chest and straightening it. This exercise is performed 5 times, after which it is performed similar action with the other leg;
in a sitting position, you need to put your hands on your knees and quickly shake your knees for 20–30 seconds without taking your hands off;
in a sitting position, you need to lean on the edge of the chair with your hands, leaning back slightly and raising your straight legs above the floor for 10 seconds. At least 8-10 such actions are done;
you should lean on a chair and do at least 10 squats, stopping for 2-3 seconds in the lower position. Next, it is recommended to do 6-7 circular motions first in left side and then to the right. It is important that when doing last action knees were closed and slightly bent.

The crunch in the knee joint is significantly reduced with regular massage sessions, which can be performed by a professional massage therapist.

In addition, experts say that you can do a massage yourself, but only after pre-training. This procedure enhances blood circulation and joint mobility, which has a beneficial effect on the entire musculoskeletal system.

Diet

In order to improve the condition of the knee joint, it is necessary to follow a special diet with the inclusion in the menu of products such as:

honey, goat milk, whey;
fresh vegetables and fruits, wild berries;
celery, cabbage and birch sap;
wholemeal bread with the addition of bran.

Diet should be restricted:

fish, tomatoes, legumes;
flour products, meat, smoked products;
salty, fatty and spicy dishes etc.

In addition to using therapeutic treatment, diets and recipes traditional healers, it is important to remember that if the patient is faced with crackling or crunching in the knee joint, an urgent visit to a highly qualified specialist is required, who will perform all the necessary diagnostic measures. This approach will maximize effective result with minimal damage to the body.

The effectiveness of the restoration of the destroyed articular tissue depends on how timely the treatment is started, if it suddenly crunched in the knees. In running processes, the patient's disability and complete immobility are possible. After therapy, a long-term recovery period with a revision of the lifestyle and nutrition of the patient. At early therapy the prognosis for the patient's recovery is favorable.

A crunch in any of the joints is a common and seemingly meaningless phenomenon.

In fact, such a crunch is a prerequisite for the development of various diseases, for example, or, so you should not ignore it.

Why can the knee joint crunch

The reasons for the crunch are numerous and varied, we highlight the main ones:

low physical activity
liver disease
gallbladder disease
kidney disease, usually kidney failure
injury
violations in biomechanics

The crunch of the joint can ultimately lead to the development of an inflammatory process.

Unfavorable symptoms in case of joint crunch

As a rule, the knee joint begins to crackle during a squat or tilt. If you have noticed such a phenomenon in yourself, focus your attention on the condition of the skin in the area of the knee joint. If the skin is dry and rough, it is warning sign. It is safe to say that your body is experiencing an acute lack of vitamins. In addition, there is a high probability of salt deposition.

Sometimes it happens that the knees constantly swell in the late afternoon in case of load on them throughout the day. This means that your muscles have weakened and the cartilage of the joint gradually becomes thinner and loses its elasticity.

Symptoms of joint problems can also be manifested in the occurrence of sudden sharp pain while going up or down stairs.

Treatment of a crunch of the knee joint with traditional medicine

First of all, include in your schedule regular visits to the sauna and yoga classes. Dry and hot steam in the sauna will benefit your knee joint, and yoga will not only cure the diseased joint, but also have a beneficial effect on general state organism.

Traditional medicine can also offer a variety of procedures aimed at eliminating the symptoms and consequences of a crunch in the knee joint. Below are some of these procedures.

Treatment with wheat bran and milk

take a small amount of wheat bran
fill them up a small amount milk so that the bran can absorb all the milk, and at the same time the mass is thick
apply the resulting mass to the problem joint
then cover it on top with parchment or special compress paper, then wrap the place of the compress with a warm scarf or scarf
this mixture should be left on the knee for one hour
after this period, wash off the mass of bran and milk with warm water and spread the knee with a fat cream

Therapeutic compress of vegetable oil and juice

take five tablespoons of vegetable oil
add a tablespoon of orange or lemon juice to it
mix the ingredients thoroughly
dip a bandage folded several times into the resulting mass
when it is soaked in the mixture, put it on the problem knee
leave this compress for one hour
after an hour, remove the bandage, and wrap the joint with a warm scarf for the night

Therapeutic baths

Therapeutic bath in case of problems with the knee joint is no different from the most ordinary bath. Just immerse yourself in warm water and lie down for 15-20 minutes. After this procedure, thoroughly rub the knee joint, and then rub the nourishing cream into it.

Healing lotions

take a liter of water
dissolve one tablespoon of baking soda in it
moisten a napkin in the resulting solution, and then put it on your knee and leave for 15-20 minutes
after that, remove the napkin, and lubricate the knee joint with a fat cream, preferably with vitamin A
cream can be replaced with any warm vegetable oil
such a compress should be done daily for seven days before bedtime

Therapeutic exercise for a crunchy knee joint

Therapeutic exercise requires regular exercise. Therefore, it is very important to devote time to it every day.

Exercise 1.

In the morning, immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed, do the exercise "scissors" and "bicycle". It will be enough to do just 8-10 swings.

Exercise 2.

Also, without getting out of bed, bend one leg at the knee and press it against chest then straighten your leg. Repeat this 5 times, then switch legs to the other.

Exercise 3

Sit on a chair, put your hands on your knees and quickly shake your knee joints for 20 seconds.

Exercise 4

The next exercise is again with a chair. Lean your hands on the edges of the chair, then lean back slightly and lift your legs off the floor, then straighten them at the knees and do the “bike” exercise. It is enough to do 8-10 swings.

Exercise 5

Holding on to the back of a chair, do 10 squats, while freezing for 1-2 seconds in a sitting position.

Exercise 6

Still holding on to the back of the chair, make 6 circular motions with your knees in the direction to the right and to the left. During this exercise, your knees should be slightly bent and closed.

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Gonarthrosis

The disease is accompanied by delamination, thinning of the cartilage of the knee joint. The reasons for its development include impaired blood supply to tissues. When there is severe pain that hinders movement, and the crunch is caused by bone friction. The articulation of the joint is deformed, and outgrowths are formed.

The basis of therapy for this disease is drugs whose action is aimed at strengthening cartilage tissue (). As aids appoint .

Calcinosis

Calcium pyrophosphate and other substances are necessary for the formation of cartilage tissue. In case of violation metabolic processes, excessive consumption of salty, spicy food calcium crystals accumulate on the surface of the cartilage. Patients complain of the following symptoms:

pain in the knee joint and crunch;
numbness;

For calcification, it is necessary to correct daily ration, minimize the amount junk food, include foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Therapy may include taking anti-inflammatory drugs, administering,.

Meniscopathy

- elements of the knee joint with shock-absorbing properties. With bruises, falls, they can be damaged, torn. At risk are athletes, people who have already been diagnosed with diseases of the musculoskeletal system (sarcomatosis, arthritis). You can understand what happened if there was a sharp crack in the knee, then intense pain appeared, which intensifies when you try to change position.

Conservative treatment can give a result if the gap is insignificant. The patient is prescribed drugs with anti-inflammatory properties, chondroprotectors. Physiotherapy techniques stimulate blood circulation in this area, improving the supply of tissues with oxygen and nutrients. AT severe cases appoint . Removed during the operation. damaged tissues are given injections of a synovial fluid substitute.

subchondral sclerosis

The essence of the pathology is in violation of the blood supply to the soft tissues of the knee joint. Cartilage, which receives nutrients and oxygen from the blood, degrades and becomes thinner. The situation is aggravated if the knee is injured, periodically squeezed or triggered by inflammation. The clinical picture in subchondral sclerosis is characteristic of many pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. The knees hurt and crunch, deformation processes occur in the joint, the joint loses its mobility. To alleviate the condition, the patient is prescribed:

painkillers;
drugs that stimulate the formation of cartilage tissue;
electrophoresis;
massage.

The disease is often faced by people of advanced age, in whose body there is not enough hyaline, which takes part in the formation of cartilage tissue.

Diagnostic measures

At the initial visit, the doctor collects an anamnesis, analyzes clinical picture. What matters is different factors Keywords: lifestyle, nutrition, type of activity, chronic diseases, heredity. Based on the data obtained, the specialist makes a preliminary diagnosis, to clarify which a number of diagnostic measures are prescribed:

general analysis of urine and blood;
radiography;
CT scan;
arthroscopy;
hardware technique.

If your knee cracks and hurts, you should consult a therapist. He deals with the treatment at the initial stage, in elderly patients. With the progression of the inflammatory process in the joint, you will need to consult a rheumatologist. In cases where the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms is associated with sprains, injuries, slaughter, bruises, you need to visit a traumatologist. If the pain and crunch in the knee joint appeared against the background of excess weight, you can not do without the help of a nutritionist.

How to get rid of pain and crunch in the knee joints

Often patients take similar symptoms for the norm, but you need to know when your knees hurt and crunch, how to treat and how to eliminate unpleasant signs. To relieve pain, use improvised devices, or independently buy some medications in a pharmacy. Self-medication is dangerous to health. Untimely appeal to the doctor and, as a result, the absence proper treatment can lead to limited mobility and disability.

Therapy is determined individually depending on the intensity of pain, sound characteristics, other symptoms, concomitant diseases. Results can be achieved only with an integrated approach to the treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Therapy may include:

painkillers for external use ();
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
chondroprotectors;
arthroscopy;
impact;
electrophoresis;
treatment ;
massage;
correction .

The knee joint needs to be kept calm. Avoid extra loads on the lower limbs, use non-tight for fixation, elastic bandages, do not allow hypothermia or overheating of the body. Use folk remedies home treatment possible only after consultation with a specialist. It is important to first find out why the knees hurt and crunch, and then take measures to eliminate unpleasant symptoms.

Physiotherapy

If your knees are crunchy and sore, this does not mean that you can lie or sit all the time. On the contrary, all conditions should be provided for the restoration of joint mobility. Excessive loads can harm, but special exercises and their regular implementation will increase the effectiveness of therapy and quickly relieve pain and crunch, prevent complications. The complex of physiotherapy exercises is determined by the doctor. It includes exercises aimed at kneading the knee joint.

Traditional medicine

In folk medicine, there are also remedies to help cure crunching and pain in the knees. They enhance the effect of drugs, stimulate blood circulation in this area, relieve pain. compresses, therapeutic baths, lotions have a positive effect as part of complex therapy:

nourishing compress. grind wheat bran, pour them with hot boiled milk, mix until a homogeneous slurry is formed. Apply a compress to the sore joint, cover with cling film on top, keep warm for an hour. Remove the remnants of the product, rinse the skin with warm water and lubricate with cream;
citrus compress. Squeeze juice from lemon and orange, add a little sunflower oil, mix thoroughly. Dip gauze into the resulting mixture, wring it out and attach it to the knee, wrapping it in a warm towel or scarf. Leave the compress for several hours, and preferably at night;
therapeutic bath. When your knees are crunchy and sore, you can improve your well-being with the help of water procedures. hot tub with the addition of decoctions medicinal plants, needles or birch branches relaxes, relieves pain, improves blood supply to tissues;
baking soda lotions. Dilute a tablespoon of the main ingredient in warm water, mix. Moisten a gauze bandage in the product, apply to the sore knee for 15 minutes. After lotion, treat the skin nourishing cream with addition oil solution vitamin A;
gelatin drink. Dilute 20 g in 1 liter of warm water, mix until smooth. Means to take a glass every morning on an empty stomach. It helps to strengthen the ligaments and menisci;
restorative infusion. In equal proportions, mix the chopped grass of yarrow, rosemary, eucalyptus and St. John's wort. Pour the mixture with boiling water, cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Ready infusion strain, cool, drink 100 ml 3 times a day.

Means prepared according to will help speed up recovery, saturate the body micronutrients. They are available, safe, have a limited list of contraindications, practically do not cause side effects. If your knees hurt and crunch, what to do, the attending physician will tell you. Without his knowledge, it is not recommended to use traditional medicine, because there is a risk of aggravating the course of the disease and provoking the progression of the pathology.

diet therapy

In pathologies, when knees crunch and hurt, you need special diet. Proper nutrition will help to remove from the body harmful substances saturate it with vitamins and minerals. This is especially true if the crunch and pain in the knee joint are associated with overweight patient. Often the cause of the appearance of such symptoms is a deficiency of synovial fluid. To increase the production of this substance, you should abandon bad habits Introduce the following foods into your diet:

dairy ( goat milk, cottage cheese, whey);
fresh vegetables and fruits;
bread with the addition of bran;
seafood and oily fish(tuna, salmon, salmon);
meat (chicken, beef, lamb).

If you do not know when your knees crunch and hurt, what to do, how to eat, contact a nutritionist. Based on your state of health, symptoms, causes similar signs, he will make the correct one, effective diet. To restore the normal functioning of the knee joint, it is necessary to enrich the diet with foods rich in vitamins B2, B5, B9, C, collagen.

oily, fried, salty food in excess - the cause of the formation of deposits on the surface of the cartilage tissue. Limit the use of such dishes, when cooking, preferring baking, boiling, stewing.

Prevention of complications

Diseases in which the joints crackle and hurt are quite common in patients different ages. They affect teenagers, adults and the elderly. In the risk category - athletes, people whose activities are associated with excessive physical exertion on the lower limbs, overweight patients, diseases endocrine system, digestive organs. Ignoring the symptoms can lead to the development of dangerous complications, partial or complete restriction of mobility.

If the knee cracked and hurts, you should reconsider your diet, stop using high-heeled shoes, active image life, normalize weight, reduce physical exercise on the joints. An excellent prevention of complications is swimming, yoga or aerobics.. Timely treatment diseases of the musculoskeletal system - the main condition for a successful recovery. Follow the doctor's recommendations, eat right, do not self-medicate, then you can quickly and easily get rid of the crunch and pain in the knees.

A crunch in the joints does not necessarily accompany pathology, quite often it does not pose a danger. But it is impossible to ignore the constantly occurring sounds, especially if they are combined with discomfort and pain. The causes and treatment of crunching in the knees is the topic of today's conversation.

Why do joints crackle

Physiological crunch

The structure of the knee joint resembles a hinge: the head of another comes into the cavity of one bone, during movement they move relative to each other. To facilitate sliding and reduce friction, joint (synovial) fluid is produced in the joint.

The liquid is heterogeneous, it contains foreign inclusions, among which the least "dangerous" ones are bubbles. carbon dioxide. If, when bending and unbending the knees, soft clicks are heard, a crunch that does not manifest itself physically in any way, bursting gas bubbles become the cause of such a crunch. After some time, they form again and the crunch resumes.

Knees can crunch barely noticeable or, on the contrary, quite loudly. Such sounds are not a pathology and do not pose a danger.

Another reason for the “safe” crunch is the contact between the ligamentous apparatus and the bone sections that form the joint. Such sounds are especially frequent during adolescence during the formation of the skeleton.

However, according to statistics, approximately 15% of people whose knees click and crackle suffer from an initial form of arthrosis. How not to miss the onset of the disease?

Pathological crunch

If the joint crunches during physical activity:, squats, then the causes of extraneous sounds can be:

joint inflammation, as the tissues swell, deform, increase in size, which leads to constant contact with the articular surfaces. characteristic feature arthritis and similar diseases is pain;
joint deformity and disruption of its functioning. Arthrosis is not rarely accompanied by a decrease in the amount of joint fluid;
violation of water-salt metabolism. Accumulation of salts in tissues uric acid leads to limitation of its mobility, tissue edema and severe pain. Without treatment, with gout, bumps, protrusions, tubercles are formed on the surfaces of the bones;
joint injury, fractures, cracks impede normal functioning. Incorrectly fused bones, unrecovered joints can cause the development of arthrosis;
pathological processes in the liver, violate the synthesis of collagen and reduce the mobility of the ligaments, hence the pain and crunch in the joints;
obesity — overweight causes additional, sometimes, excessive load on the joints. It is especially hard on the knees and hip joint, because they bear the main load;
shoes on high heels . Physiologically, nature provides for walking on a flat foot, the heel causes a redistribution of the load, gives additional stress to the knees.

What to do if your knees are crunchy

To understand what a crunch in the knees means - harmless gas bubbles or the onset of a serious illness, you should undergo an examination, diagnose the cause of unpleasant sounds. AT urgently you need to see a doctor if pain, swelling, swelling of the joint, limited mobility, numbness are added to the sounds.

Among the diagnostic methods used:

visual inspection, palpation of the joint;
Collection of analyzes;
radiography;

Magnetic resonance therapy provides the clearest picture of the situation. Along with a direct examination of the joint, a study of the condition of the kidneys and liver is carried out.

On LocalLab.ru you can find a clinic for MRI, CT, radiography or ultrasound diagnostics of the knee joint... Choose best price in a convenient location!

Treatment methods of traditional medicine

Physiological crunch, if it does not cause psychological discomfort, does not need to be treated, it is not dangerous.

After the examination, it becomes clear what is the cause and what disease needs to be treated in order to eliminate unpleasant symptom including.

The therapy includes several stages:

reduction (elimination) of pain - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibufen, nimesulide, diclofenac and others);
removal of inflammation and swelling - ointments based on pepper, snake venom, dimexide improve blood circulation and nutrition, promote lymph outflow;
restoration of cartilage tissue functions and joint mobility in general - chondroprotectors that can be drunk in the form of capsules or tablets (teraflex), injected intramuscularly (alflutop), injected directly into the joint cavity (only in a hospital, the doctor does!).

How to treat a crunch in the knees with folk remedies

If the joint creaks and crunches, but there is no opportunity to visit a doctor urgently, you can try the recipes offered by Alternative medicine.

Dishes with gelatin

To increase joint mobility, treat and prevent diseases, recover from injuries and fractures, it is recommended to use jelly, aspic, and jelly every day.

When preparing jelly, they do not leave it to solidify, but drink warm broth obtained after 4-5 hours of boiling beef on the bone. You need to drink 1.5 cups 3-4 times a day for a month.

Parsley

Substances rich in fresh parsley, stimulate the liver, which, in turn, favorably affects the health of the joints.

If the knee joint crunches, you need to prepare an infusion of parsley and take it for 14 days.

For cooking, parsley roots are washed, finely chopped and put into a thermos, after which ½ l of hot boiled milk is poured. After 12 hours, the infusion is ready, it must be filtered through cheesecloth. The resulting liquid daily dose, which you need to drink in three doses.

Celery

Roots and parsley grass (100 g each) chop and mix, pour ½ l hot water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for another 5-6 minutes, then cool and strain.

To the broth add 1-2 tbsp. l. honey and juice of one lemon. Drink in the morning, taking 6-7 sips. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.

oranges

Mix the freshly squeezed juice of one medium orange with 0.1 l of vegetable oil, moisten the gauze folded in several layers with the resulting mixture. Apply a compress to the sore joint, cover with cling film and a warm diaper on top. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes, the duration of the course is 2 weeks.

Bran

Grind bran and pour warm milk. After swelling, after about 20-30 minutes, the mass is applied to a gauze bandage and a compress is made. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. Similarly, you can use cereals(3-4 tsp per 0.2 l of boiling water).

Prevention of crunching in the knees

plays an important role in maintaining joint health proper nutrition. The diet should include:

rich foods - milk and dairy products, hard cheeses, sesame, dill, basil, parsley, fatty sea fish, nuts, seafood, chocolate;
vitamin A (carrots, egg yolk, watermelon, peaches, blueberries), B 1 (cabbage, carrots, peas, potatoes), B 2 (milk, cottage cheese, nuts, eggs), B 6 (tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, oranges), D (red fish, dairy products), E ( vegetable oil, sea buckthorn, almond nuts, sweet cherry), C (citrus fruits, rose hips, parsley, black currant, Bell pepper), K (pumpkin, tomatoes, peas);
products containing .

Smoked and salty foods are not useful for joints.

Physical education, swimming will benefit.

A set of exercises for knee pain according to Bubnovsky

sharp pain in the back and knees will help to remove physical exercises:

Forward knee lunges (for each step). To perform the exercise, you need to get on all fours, crawl forward at each step, straightening one leg and dropping your body to the floor.
Lying on your back, hands behind your head, do twisting. Feet should be firmly pressed to the floor. Put under your back salt heating pad.
In the same position, simultaneously raise the leg, bent at the knee, and pull the knee to the opposite elbow.
Move on your knees (back straight).
Get on your knees, straighten your back, put a gymnastic mat or a towel rolled up on your calves. Lower the pelvis on the mat as low as possible, stay in this position for 20-30 seconds, take the starting position. Repeat the exercise without the mat.
Sit on the floor, stretch your legs in front of you. Holding the toe of the foot with your hand, bend the leg at the knee, then straighten and hold on weight. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg.
"Walk" on the buttocks, hands clasped in front of the chest.
Push up from the floor, crossing your legs at the knees and lifting them off the floor.

A simple exercise to develop the knee joint

In this video, you will learn one simple exercise that will help develop a joint after an injury and simply strengthen the knee. Do it and be healthy!

Crunchy knees are just a symptom that can be quite harmless if not accompanied by pain and discomfort. You need to listen to your body, take care of it, eat right and provide feasible physical activity. No doctor will help if you do not take care of your health yourself.