A little background… I used to be a cheer and speedskate. Now I have problems with my left knee.
*June 2003 - surgery to repair stretched ACL
*January 2004 - surgery to repair torn ACL
The second ACL surgery was successful. I haven’t had any ACL problems since. But about 6 months after the second surgery, my knee has been popping every time I straighten it out all the way. Gradually it has worsened. Its an audible grinding pop - People cringe when they hear it. I’m not in pain but it’s certainly not comfortable.
*November 2005 - surgery to remove scar tissue in the left knee. Done after X-Rays and another MRI showing no problems elsewhere. The doc didn’t see any other problems when he was in there with the scope. He did remove a big lump of scar tissue but the popping hasn’t stopped.
Last week I went for another opinion, recommended by my surgeon. His theory or idea is that there’s more scar tissue - basically under the knee cap. So now it’s my option to have a 4th surgery on the left knee in hopes of finding the problem.
X-ray, MRI, 2 doctors, a few physical therapists and they’re all puzzled! :smack:
I’m not too comfortable with theories and ideas coming from doctors. But since they’re dishing 'em out… anyone else have a theory? No “IANAD” disclaimer required. 
Or weird knee popping?
I’m stressed about this one!
Is it like when you crack a knuckle? I dislocated a kneecap, and for a few weeks or months afterwards I would occasionally crack the whole knee like you’d crack a knuckle. The cracks were enormous in their noise and the level of relief I got from them. They stopped doing this over time and I had no further problems.
I didn’t have any “grinding” though, so maybe you’re talking about something else.
Well this is out of left field but…
I mildly tore/stretched the ACL in my shoulder and didn’t have surgery, but went to a bunch of physical therapy and about 8 months of pain. Even after therapy, the therapist wasn’t remotely concerned with the popping in my shoulder since I didn’t have any pain.
It still pops, but ONLY if I am not exercising the area every day. I work out 5-6 days a week. If i miss a day or two, back to popping and grinding for sometimes a week. If I miss more than 3 days, there’s pain too.
Are you doing any PT or exercises at home? How much can you move the knee for exercise? I certainlly don’t want you to do anything your doctors don’t approve of, but ACLs are such finicky little things. It seems to me that you have to keep them moving and keep the surrounding muscles strong or they just shrivel and deform again and cause problems.
riker1384
I think I know what you’re talking about. When the doc was examining my knee that happened. The pop was definitely louder than what I experience.
I could probably describe mine as a quick series of 5 or 6 pops… that’s why I said “grinding”. Strangely, it used to only be 3-4 quick pops. So it’s increased also.
The popping has been happening for over a year and a half and it’s consistent - EVERY time I straighten my knee.
I went through a couple months of physical therapy and regained a lot of strength in my knee. I can tell there’s a big difference in my daily activities but not even the slightest change in the popping. I don’t want to be stuck with a popping knee for life. I’m only 20!
(Shoulder ACL? What?)