It may be that this movement alone is enough to crack your knee.
To contract the joint completely while sitting in a chair, you may need to move your buttocks forward to the edge of the chair. This will allow you to bend the knee further. Bending your leg completely will move the bones and ligaments across each other, causing a pop when ligaments go over uneven bones or when air moves through the joint.
By moving your knees from extension to flexion and back again, you can help your kneecap fully engage into the center of your knee joint. [4] X Expert Source Jonathan Frank, MDSports Orthopedic Surgeon & Joint Preservation Specialist Expert Interview. 31 July 2020. If this gets your knee to crack there’s nothing wrong with that happening. However, it is a sign you need to work on being more limber. [5] X Expert Source Jonathan Frank, MDSports Orthopedic Surgeon & Joint Preservation Specialist Expert Interview. 31 July 2020. If you can’t get your knee to crack with this movement, then you may need to put some pressure on the joint to make it happen.
Being in the proper position will ensure that you don’t injure your knee when you put pressure on it.
Putting pressure on the knee joint while trying to pop it will make the ligaments and bones move into slightly different positions than they would go into without added weight. This slight change may be enough to crack your knee.
Squatting like this uses your body weight to contract the knee joint further than it would normally go. This position may be extreme enough to crack a knee that has been hard to crack. It is important to be careful and controlled when doing squats. If you just release all control and let your body drop, it could injure your knees.
While some knee popping is perfectly normal, a constant need to pop your knee could signal a problem with your cartilage being worn down, a tear in your meniscus, or developing arthritis. [9] X Research source In many cases, treatment options will include medication, physical therapy, and, if the problem is severe, surgery.
You can take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor if you think a prescription anti-inflammatory would be more effective for your condition.
Swimming. Bicycling. Water aerobics. Elliptical.
If you want to continue running, at least try to give your knees time to recover between sessions. For instance, alternate your running days with days when you do a low-impact exercise like cycling. [11] X Research source
If you want to continue running, at least try to give your knees time to recover between sessions. For instance, alternate your running days with days when you do a low-impact exercise like cycling. [11] X Research source
