Topic: Knees Popping

[Andy Dick]

Aight, I got a question.  When I stated getting my squats up probably to around where I was repping 225ish my right knee started making a popping sound (like popping a knuckle) everytime I squatted.  Now I am repping about 250 and both knees are making a popping sound.  It is not painful, it just pops all the time and some times my knees feel tight.  Does this happen to any of you?  Is it normal?  Is there anything I can do to fix it?  I dont really notice it happen during the clean or snatch but it could be it happens so fast or I am not paying attention to it.  I had an athletic trainer look at my right knee a while back when it started and they could find nothing wrong with my knees, no swelling or anything all they said is my right leg was significantly stronger than my left (I just figured that was because that is the lead foot for my jerks and I am right side dominant).  Please let me know your thoughts.

[Tom Phillips]

my knees pop but its usually with the warm up weights, once im warmed up it seems to go. On the occasions when they continue to pop i just put it down to tight surrounding muscles, i have the fortune of having a sister who is a sports injury therapist and i just get her to massage my quads etc and the popping always goes away for a few months until the muscles get tight again

[Paul LaDuke]

Have you had an injury to the knees in the past?  Even just a tweek that caused a little swelling once?  Another thing to think about would be hobbies/activities you loved to do a lot as a kid.  There may be scare tissue in there that pops as you bend.  If it isn't painful and the knee is stable without swelling or soreness the next day, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Tom Sherwood]

Andy,

My knees pop really loud all the time when I squat.  It does not hurt, and its been this way for a few years. I had no prior knee injuries either. Like Paul said I wouldn't worry about it.

[Andy Dick]

Alright thanks for the input.  That I know of I have not had any knee injuries in the past.  They have taken thier fair share of beating because I was a wrestler in high school and college but no injuries.  I was thinking about the tightness might be muscle as suggested by tom also because it seems tight up above my knee like right above the patella.  Which leads me to believe it is quad.  Cool I will not worry about it then just wanted to make sure it wasnt something bad that could end up getting worse.

[Matt Erdman]

I have the same deal. I would like to get rid of it, as it's hard to convince someone that full squats are OK if your knees are cracking.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

I would like to get rid of it, as it's hard to convince someone that full squats are OK if your knees are cracking.

Tell them that your knees are supposed to make popping sounds. Its when and if they stop that you need to worry, or if there is pain upon a different kind of sound. Tell them it is just the sound of lubricant in the knees moving around and bubbles within the fluid popping.

Cheers

[Dave Almeida]

Foam roll your IT band / quads and it will go away for good most likely.