Knee popping or crepitus, also known as a noisy joint, can be caused by a number of different things. When we’re trying to do more, whether that entails taking longer walks, more sessions in the gym, or getting out into our gardens this spring, constant popping noises can be alarming and annoying. If this condition limits you, BioPed clinicians are here to help you get to the bottom and treat your noisy knees.

5 Tips to Help You Understand and Treat Those Popping Knees

Find the reason for the noise – is there pain with the pop?

The first question to ask when you notice knee popping is: does pain follow the noise? If the answer is no, we are most likely looking at either, gas bubbles forming in the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint and they pop periodically, like a cracking knuckle. Or we could be looking at a ligament or tendon getting stuck on a bony or rough area of the surrounding bones and snapping into place once it reaches the point of no return.

However, if there is pain, this could be an indication of some sort of knee injury, most likely a tear in the tendons, ligaments or a meniscal injury, or something more chronic, like arthritis. Knowing the cause or the source of the popping can be instrumental in helping to treat the issue, and help you on your road to recovery.

R.I.C.E

This handy acronym is useful if you have an injury as the source of the knee popping.

R – rest. Giving yourself a break from intense exercise can be helpful in the case of a flare up or acute injury. Outside of those circumstances you may need to take more frequent rest breaks while hiking the trails or engaging in physical activity to keep swelling and pain to a minimum.

I – ice. In the case of acute injury and swelling, ice can help soothe areas of inflammation.

C – compression. Whether in the form of a wrap, stocking or knee brace, compression can help increase proprioception in the knee, keep swelling down, and hold the joint together to minimize pain and clicking / popping.

E – elevate. In acute injury, elevation is key to keep swelling and pain down. Resting the knee in an elevated position can help lead to faster healing and help you get some rest as well.

Strengthening

One common cause of popping not associated with injury is hyper flexibility. If you can hyperextend your joints, chances are, you experience more popping because the ligaments and tendons are moving in a greater range over ridges and areas of bone they wouldn’t normally move around. Strengthening the surrounding muscles to enhance control of the joint can help decrease the hypermobility and overall instances of popping.
This technique can also be useful in injury recovery, to help the surrounding musculature support the joint.

Knee bracing

We have experienced fitters in all of our clinics who can assist you in choosing the correct knee brace for your joint needs. We carry a variety of brace options, from over-the-counter to custom made devices. Bauerfeind is one of our most prominent knee brace brands for the over-the-counter assortment.
We measure your leg and fit you into the level of stability required for your condition. All of the Bauerfeind knee braces are a compression knit sleeve with varying degrees of additional rigidity. Holding the joint more securely and making you more aware of its mobility can help to reduce popping by reducing hyper-flexibility or instability in the joint.

Orthotics

Custom-made or over-the-counter orthotics can help reduce knee popping by stabilizing the chain of movement from the ground up. When there is increased flexibility in the foot, it can pull the leg out of alignment, causing the knee to move in unexpected ways, pulling ligaments and tendons over areas of bone it wouldn’t otherwise rub on. If you have a more rigid foot structure, the problem could be a lack of shock absorption, which leads to that ground impact travelling up the leg, into the knee joint where it can cause popping. BioPed Canadian Certified Pedorthists are able to assess and assist in the fabrication and fitting of custom made orthotics to give you relief from painful or simply annoying popping knees.

Knee ligament injuries can be a real pain especially when they stop you from doing the activities you love. But have no fear, with BioPed we are here to help you kick that knee pain to the curb.

Often ligament injuries are seen in activities that require running, jumping and sudden changes in direction. It could happen in your morning workout or even turning the wrong way at work.

There are four main ligaments in the knee:

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

Stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive forward movement and rotational movements

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)

Stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive backwards movement and rotational movements

Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)

Stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive medial movement (to the inside)

Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)

Stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive lateral movement (to the outside)

Symptoms most often will include pain, issues with stability, popping or crunching noises, inability to fully extend the knee etc. If you ever suspect that you have sustained a knee injury, it’s always best to first get in to see your doctor or nurse practitioner, as imaging might be required to see the full extent of the damage.

Should I look into knee bracing?

Knee bracing can be a fantastic solution to helping with a ligament injury. There are many different types and styles of braces, but most work to give stability to the knee. If the knee feels stable, you will feel more confident doing all the activities that you love to do. In addition to providing confidence, braces also work to limit motion in certain directions depending on what ligament the brace is specifically accounting for. This protects the ligament from additional damage and helps to offer support to the knee that the ligament lacks.

Types of knee bracing

Knee braces can be non-hinged or hinged.

Non-hinged knee bracing consists of mainly compression sleeve style braces. These braces help to aid the knee with mild stability but where they truly shine is aiding in reducing swelling and improving proprioception. Proprioception is our body’s ability to know where a limb is in location, movement and action. If we are more aware of the knee, we will be more balanced and apt to focus on stabilizing it and protecting it throughout the day. Often non-hinged knee braces are people’s first approach as they are cheaper and more readily available. The biggest issue with these are that they are often not a custom product which, depending on your leg, could mean they might have a tendency to slip, requiring readjusting.

If you haven’t worn one, chances are you’ve seen someone wear a hinged knee brace. These braces are often slightly bulkier than non-hinged knee braces but give much more stability to the knee joint. Over the years, hinged braces have come on the market that are less bulky and quite comfortable. Often used in more severe injuries, a rigid styled brace has the benefit of having over-the-counter (OTC) and custom options. Custom knee bracing is best used in severe injury cases and when leg shape causes issues with OTC brace fitting.

3 factors to consider when choosing the perfect brace

Severity of injury

As the injury gets more severe, the style of the brace also will change. A mild grade sprain often requires a more cloth based low profile brace whereas with a grade 3 injury you might want to consider a rigid shell brace.

Level of activity

For someone who leisurely walks and isn’t involved in high intensity sport often, maximal protection and support is not always necessary.

Comfort

No matter how great the brace, you won’t wear a brace that is not comfortable. When looking for a brace look for the best combination of comfort and function. This will make getting back into the game that much easier.

Come see us!

If you’re suffering from a knee injury or anything else lower limb related, please book an appointment today! At BioPed Footcare, whether its bracing, shoes, or footwear we are here for you. With our on-site lab there is nothing we can’t do! Meet with one of BioPed’s lower limb clinicians to see how you can keep your knees and lower body healthy!