Clicking Knee

Yea, they do that. Just getting older. Don't worry about it.

Yeah sometimes when I wake up for the first half hour I'm walking around my knee will be clicking like crazy. I wouldn't worry about it too much, maybe just drink more apple juice?

wear ear plugs.clicking cured.

fwiw, another runner reckoned he had a similar problem and he got an mri which showed scar tissue on the meniscus. He had simple surgery on it which fixed it. Here I am 5 years later stuck with what I reckon is the same problem. The difference seems to be the doc's I've seen want to screen me out of expensive treatment.

Clicking is often (but not always) a symptom of pre-arthritis stage (osteo arthritis of the joints).

When cartilage or meniscus are damaged, there is less fluid between the joints and ligaments, and clicking is the result of slight friction of parts which would otherwise be lubricated and undamaged.

I have the same problem with my hip, and have lived with it for the past 15 years....dull ache and clicking at times, but not yet at the stage where a joint replacement would be needed.

An MRI or similar could be performed for a better image of the knee in question.

Clicking or catching are often symptoms of Runners Knee or IT Band issues. But if you've had it 5 years, I'll assume you have checked that. But if you have never gone to PT or gotten deep tissue massage treatment, I would strongly reccomend. Maybe it would help you if you loosened up and strengthened your hip muscles. Quitting should be your last option and a big step like surgery sholud be your final resort before that. Good Luck.

Where exactly is the clicking happening? For a while, I had some "clicking" going on at the inner/medial side of my knee- it felt like something which was wrapping around from the back to the front of my shin was popping over the joint.

I have managed to alleviate the issue by doing lots of hamstring stretching- specifically using the Wharton's Active Isolation Stretching book. Occasionally it will act up again, but that lets me know when I have not been stretching as much.

Try the Wharton book- it is pretty good for stretching, and see if that helps?

Yes many years ago I had a clicking knee that was accompanied by alot of tightness and pain if I tried to run through it. A visit to the Dr showed the patella was tracking correctly, the clicking was caused by the IT band insertion rubbing at the site where it hooks up to the knee, or next to it as it were. IT band syndrome is not typically felt in this area, but more often is higher up the tendon, I have also had it effect my hip greatly.The answer for me back then was to take some anti-inflams and rest from running, I cross trained with pool running which did not aggravate the injury, although weight bearing exercise did. I have been click free for eons now, perhaps this will be helpful, I hope so.....

kenrun wrote:

I have had a niggling knee for the last 5 years, basically forcing me to quit competitive running and cutting back to a couple of jogs a week. It originally was a catching knee when I extended it, but now has improved. What I get now is a clicking knee most times when I straighten my leg.

It maybe just me but I feel as if the kneecap is not quite sitting right compared to my good knee. Anyway has anyone else experienced similar symptoms? I would like to get back into running again. The frustrating thing is I've seen two Doctors and both have basically dismissed it as not being worth serious investigation e.g. mri, or arthroscopy.

Thanks for the info all. So it could be meniscus/cartilage damage, IT band syndrome, runners knee, or tight hamstrings.

The clicking is happening right under the center of my knee cap. In fact I can feel my knee cap popping into place as I straighten my leg. There is no pain and it doesn't always happen. I do yoga and stretching so I'm leaning towards meniscus/cartilage damage than anything else. Getting PT sounds like a good idea. Also finding a doctor who is sympathetic towards runners injuries! Thanks.

I had a problem once for a few months on the medial side of the back of the knee. When I tried to run quick it would make an uncomfortable 'clunking' sound. Went to one physio and she treated it as a hamstring problem which never helped. Saw a decent physio and was told that this can happen if you are doing a lot of base mileage and not much speed work and was due to the vastus medialis (quad, inside just above knee)being weak.

A few days of 'knee twitches' (tensing quads up so legs become straight) and it was soon sorted.

I have had problems similar to what you and the below above poster Sarah describe. My injury can be traced to a very bad ankle turn (laterally) on a trail almost 6 years ago, that I probably didn't have properly heal. In fact, I never had it x-rayed until 2 years later, and the x-ray showed that likely I had fractured a small bone in my foot or ankle (can't quite remember) that changed foot mechanics. My theory is that this changed the tracking of my patella, taking it off line. When I run I get a slow buildup of tightness around the knee during which I can feel my leg lift dropping drastically, and then if I step awkward I get shooting pain under the patella.

I do also get the cracking or clicking in both knees actually, fairly often. Anytime after I just wake up or even just sitting down for an hour. Its not usually painful, but once in a while it can be. I'm not sure how much advice I can give you other than that I would think scar tissue could be a cause of the clicking, and maybe something with the meniscus. I've seen doctors of every ilk, and none have really been able to identify clearly what I might have. Then again, I also have never had an MRI, largely because I have no extra cash for one. Boy would I love to be able to fully run again though, so I feel your pain.

Similar thing happened to me. Does it make the clicking better after you ice? There may be some inflammation in there...

I've never tried iceing it. I do notice that it sometimes clicks more when I run more, I mean in general, not necessarily immediately after a run. I think finding a good sports physio is probably my next step. Thanks

I have the same problem with my right knee. It clicks and pops underneath the kneecap all the time. I went to the doctor. The doctor sent to a specialist to do an x-ray and then I did an MRI. The MRI reviled that I have torn cartilages (torn Meniscus) on both of my knees.. So my knees are just clicking all the time now... I quit running.. only jogging now... I stop running marathons.. I think I torn the meniscus when I was training for the Last Chance for Boston, Dublin OH marathon.

Deep tissue massage wouldn't be able to get under the knee cap and heal scar tissue there though, would it?

Dear Kenrun,

I was doing a search on google for my clicking knee problem and your message thread was one of the first things to surface...I realize it was from way back in 2006 so I'm not even sure this will reach you still...although I really hope so because your symptoms and issues with doctors blowing you off is exactly my story! My knee is now constantly clicking (at the top part and underneath)when I go to extend my leg especially at night, after a run or in the morning. I've seen a well known sports med doc in Philly and a podiatrist to get new custom orthotics made. I have also done some physical therapy. None of which seems to greatly help but I have only had the issue for 6 months and have only been getting treatment for a little more than 2 months (which feels like forever). It's gotten less painful with my stretching excercises but my clicking is getting worse and is really quite gross. I am a competitive marathon runner who has taken so much time off of running since this started and I'm tired of doing that...I started back running about 3 weeks ago and I try to continue my stretches and quad strengthening. I was curious how you made out and what, if anything, ever solved your problem? I really hope to hear back from you and thanks for your time!

Meghan/Ken,

Any luck in solving the clicking problem?

Cheers

Unlogged in UP wrote:

Meghan/Ken,

Any luck in solving the clicking problem?

Cheers

Any????

kenrun wrote:

I have had a niggling knee for the last 5 years, basically forcing me to quit competitive running and cutting back to a couple of jogs a week. It originally was a catching knee when I extended it, but now has improved. What I get now is a clicking knee most times when I straighten my leg.

It maybe just me but I feel as if the kneecap is not quite sitting right compared to my good knee. Anyway has anyone else experienced similar symptoms? I would like to get back into running again. The frustrating thing is I've seen two Doctors and both have basically dismissed it as not being worth serious investigation e.g. mri, or arthroscopy.

Try collagen powder or pills with type 1, 2, and 3 included. I tried after having a sore knee for a decade due to an ACL repair. It's on Amazon.

Post-run pain I'd had for years is now gone, allowing me to double my weekly mileage lately. May not help but worth a shot.