i have noticed lately my knees click and crack alot. i took up Taekwon-do 6 months ago and am wondering if this has anything to do with it? should i stop for a while until my knees get better?
I’ve had this syndrome for years. It turns out to be something called chondromalacia patellae. It comes from a kneecap that is too easily diplaced from its normal groove. There are exercises you can do to strenghthen the muscles that keepthe patella in place. If you do a search on the name of the syndrome you will find them. Don’t worry too much about it. It’s not a big deal, but if you let it go on for too many years, you could wind up with a touch of annoying achiness in your knees (my current situation).
My knees pretty much always have cracked a bit when I bend them real far and put weight on them(like when squatting down). All through my 10 years of martial arts training they did this, so the cause of that was definately NOT weak legs in any sense of the words. I have noticed other people who’s knees crack a bit when they just stand around and shift their weight - lack of supporting muscles might be the reason in those people (who are all desk jockeys that never exercise). Some people just have looser joints (I’m no doctor… I have just heard that can account for audible snaps, crackles, and pops), but ASAIK it won’t cause you any problems. Worried about arthritus? Many he he… “normal” people get a touch of it as they get old anyway, and there are much worse things you can do to encourage it; I’ve heard Arnie is pretty stiff in the mornings these days after his decades of heavy lifting:).