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Knee cap tracking, cracking, & squats / deadlifts

jj80

Member
Anyone had cracking in their knees when squatting/deadlifting? Anyone got any ways to fix it? Maybe knee wraps?

I was hoping the noise mine makes would lessen as I got stronger but it's gotten louder. It doesn't really hurt when lifting but I don't like the idea of something in there wearing down to the point where I get injured or it does hurt.
 
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This could be mega bro science someone once told me it has to do with nitrogen in the knee joint compressing and popping and shit as the temperature changes in the knee. Sleeves can stop it cause it keeps the joint warm between sets.

I crack all the time but my knees are great and it doesn't hurt or anything. As long as your form is okay I reckon a bit of the ol snap crackle and pop is fine.

I did warn ya it might be bro science.
 
This could be mega bro science someone once told me it has to do with nitrogen in the knee joint compressing and popping and shit as the temperature changes in the knee. Sleeves can stop it cause it keeps the joint warm between sets.

I crack all the time but my knees are great and it doesn't hurt or anything. As long as your form is okay I reckon a bit of the ol snap crackle and pop is fine.

I did warn ya it might be bro science.

Not bro science, this is 100% true, i used to think cracking joints were bones rubbing together
 
Anyone had cracking in their knees when squatting/deadlifting? Anyone got any ways to fix it? Maybe knee wraps?

I was hoping the noise mine makes would lessen as I got stronger but it's gotten louder. It doesn't really hurt when lifting but I don't like the idea of something in there wearing down to the point where I get injured or it does hurt.

Oh gawd. yeah mate, got the same thing. Not sure if its gonan lead to a serious injury or not. Its a lot worse when its cold.

How do your knees feel on a cold morning, mine feel really odd then too. Not painful, but your aware of your knee caps.



Hope what others above have said is true, I had stopped squatting and deads for a few months just to be safe.
 
Both my knees make loud cracks all the time, doesn't really matter what I'm doing.

If i put my hand on my knee and move my leg back and forwards i can feel a lot of grinding and popping.
 
Just tried squats at 60kg, going really slowly, pause at the bottom, emphasis on using glutes and not rocking forward onto quads at all. It was laughably hard. I'm sure I could do a set of 90kg right now with worse form. (my 1rm max is 120)

But the 60kg... barely a whisper from the knees. And my hip which usually hurt stopped complaining. Hmmm.....
 
I had absolutely no sounds in my knees while squatting or anything else until I tore my meniscus. Now it clicks, doesn't hurt and isn't ever inflamed, there's no impingement in my movement at all, but I know for a fact that's my issue and it'll probably re-tear at some point in the future (such is the way of surgical repair).

Sometimes you can have tiny tears (ones that don't require any surgery to correct) that do require physical therapy, but often don't cause any symptoms. The physical therapy is easy shit, knee extensions & flexions mainly, with a stretch that 'unloads' the knee a couple of times a day. Especially if you're on your feet, lifting a lot.
 
roll your ITB and stretch your hip flexors for patella tracking. also do some VMO work (i.e. terminal knee extensions) and lots of glute activation work!! (e.g. glute bridges)
 
Rolling your ITB is practically useless due to it being fascia that will not respond to stretching/massage. You want to work on the surrounding tissue that connects to the ITB. This will include you Vastus Lateralis (side quad) that can tighten up significantly with overuse and affect patellar tracking.

Try rocking side to side down the ITB rather than rolling to get to those tissues. Massage work on the Tensor Fascia Latae (small muscle on the side of the hip) will relax some ITB tightness as that is the primary controller of the ITB.
 
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