Sometimes we get alarmed by a knee clicking sound. It could be common or a symptom of an underlying issue. Knee problems start harmless and grow to severe levels with age. Healthy knees are a great asset to a person as they are responsible for moving around. Knee clicking and the pain it causes can be problematic. 

There can be various reasons for knees clicking, but one must pay attention and try to understand if it is a grave issue. If you feel that the knee clicking sound is too much you must visit a doctor.

Observe the knee clicking and pain patterns closely to understand better. 

Questions like: Do my knees click and pain after exercise or movement? Are the clicking and pain constant? Is there any pain? Etc. This analysis will help your doctor as well. 

Knee Clicking When You Move

There can be various reasons for knee clicking when walking. Some reasons are discussed and shared as follows: 

  • Additional/ unnecessary tissue: The condition of an overgrowing tissue in between the knee joint, is known as plica. The trapped tissue gives rise to the clicking sound. 
  • Runner’s Knee: If your knee cap is not well aligned with the femur, the condition of the runner’s knee arises. The condition may arise due to a previous injury, overworked quadriceps, or additional stress on the tibia. 
  • Damaged meniscus: Meniscus absorbs the shocks to your knee. It lubricates the bones of the knee. The knee may start clicking if the lubricant is exhausted or damaged. Damaged meniscus results in chronic pain. A doctor or physician can treat the situation with surgery or specialized exercises. 
  • Arthritis: Inflammation due to arthritis can lead to knee clicking and stiffness. 
  • ACL or MCL tear: The ACL or MCL tear may give rise to stiffness, chronic pain along with knee clicking. If these symptoms are constant along with some bruising, you must immediately visit a doctor. 

Exercises To Stop Knee Clicking

You must not self-administer exercises for knee clicking and pain only based on self-diagnosis. Sometimes the self-diagnosis may not be accurate or the exercises we choose might fit right. Always ask your doctor if a certain set of exercises are good for you. If the doctor allows, only then you should perform those exercises. 

Most of the helpful exercises for knee clicking include quad exercises, leg extensions, contractions, etc. You can try exercises like quad sitting exercises. Your hamstrings must be equally strong to compliment your strong quadriceps. In case your hamstrings are not strong enough, your knees would feel pressurized. Lifting your legs and stretching the hamstring would be a great way to start your journey towards stronger hamstrings. 

A flexible and strong IT band muscle would do wonders to your overall leg strength and lower the pressure on your knees. Archer’s pose is a great way to flex your IT band. You can also try the frog pose and lunges. 

Goddess pose and inner thigh squat, sumo-squats help your glutes to strengthen and help in lowering the pressure on your joints. You must squat in the proper posture or it can go wrong. Always keep your back straight and hips squared while performing squats. 

General Tips To Stop Knee Clicking And Paining

As you are well aware of the causes and some exercises to alleviate knee clicking and paining, we can move to some general tips and lifestyle changes to avoid knee clicking sound:

  • Strengthen your knees with regular exercise and flexing stretches. You should perform these exercises at least thrice a week.
  • Always squat incorrect posture, keep your feet flat on the ground and back straight.
  • Never forget to warm up before your exercise regime. This will help you avoid any sudden jerks or movements.
  • Improve hip mobility, with a hip flexor, IT band stretches.
  • Work on your ankle mobility with rotational and stretching exercises for the ankle.
  • Work on your glutes with lunges and squats. 
  • Use rollers to help the soft muscles. Foam rollers are advisable for calf muscles and hamstring. 
  • Relearn to jump with your back a little bit bent and not completely straight. When you jump with a straight back, it affects your knees adversely.
  • It is not just about exercise. What you eat affects your body a lot. Eat foods with good fats to enable lubrication of joints. 
  • Take a rest or completely stop the activities which result in inflamed or paining joints. 
  • Always wear proper footwear. Loose or too tight shoes can cause a lot of pressure on your ankle and knees.

All these tips and exercises will aid you greatly to alleviate your knee clicking and pains. If the clicking sound or pain persists, visit a doctor.