| When you're working out, or playing your favorite | | | | fragments can get caught between the moving |
| sport, a snapping sensation within your knee can | | | | parts. |
| cause pain and frustration, and can lead to buckling or | | | | Regardless of cause, significant snapping within the |
| giving way, falling, and eventually, damage to the | | | | knee is always abnormal and needs to be addressed. |
| cartilage surfaces of the joint. The snap results when | | | | Above all, don't ignore it. You want to identify the |
| some structure within the joint is momentarily caught | | | | source with an accurate diagnosis and prevent |
| between the moving bones, tension is applied and is | | | | permanent damage to the joint. But in the short |
| then suddenly released, much like plucking a guitar | | | | term, you can try some conservative measures to |
| string. | | | | try to resolve the snapping. |
| The three most common causes for the painful snap | | | | Here's what you can do: |
| are synovial flaps, torn menisci and loose bodies. | | | | 1. STOP whatever activity causes painful, recurrent |
| The most frequent source of snapping is a synovial | | | | snapping. |
| flap or plica. The inside of every synovial joint is lined | | | | 2. REST the knee in extension, that is, out straight. |
| by a normally thin and pliant membrane, called | | | | Every snap can potentially damage the articular |
| synovium. Synovium produces a drop or two of joint | | | | cartilage, so that can be prevented by avoiding, or |
| fluid, which nourishes the articular cartilage and | | | | minimizing joint motion. |
| provides lubrication for the joint surfaces. This | | | | 3. Apply moist HEAT a few times a day, for 15-20 |
| membrane often has a few small thin folds, left over | | | | minutes each time. If the snapping is of sudden |
| from embryonic development, which can grow larger, | | | | onset, apply ICE for the first 48 hours, THEN begin |
| thicker and stiffer to become larger structures, | | | | to apply heat. |
| fibrous flaps or shelves, that get can get caught and | | | | 4. Try some OTC anti-inflammatory (NSAID), like |
| stretched between the moving parts. | | | | Advil (2 tabs, 4X/day) or Aleve (2 tabs, 2X/day), |
| Pain is caused by traction, pulling on the nerves of | | | | provided you have no stomach problems, like ulcers, |
| the surrounding tissues, and the snap is due to the | | | | or a history of GI bleeding, and be sure to take it |
| sudden release of tension, when it breaks free. | | | | WITH FOOD OR MILK. If inflammation has caused a |
| A torn meniscus can also cause a snap. The two | | | | synovial plica to swell and thicken, this regimen should |
| tough, crescent-shaped meniscal fibrocartilages, | | | | shrink it, by reducing inflammation. |
| medial (inner side) and lateral (outer side), that | | | | 5. If you don't get relief within a few days to a |
| cushion and guide the knee, are often torn in athletic | | | | week, then it's probably not from acute inflammation |
| activities, especially the sudden twisting or cutting | | | | and the snapping structure is now fibrous tissue, or |
| maneuvers in soccer, football, or basketball. | | | | cartilage, which will not shrink, even with reduced |
| But tears can also occur by degeneration, just from | | | | inflammation. Then, you need to SEE AN |
| getting older. Here, the substance of the cartilage | | | | ORTHOPAEDIST, for definitive evaluation and |
| becomes softer and begins to shred and fragment, | | | | treatment. Don't be afraid--it's what you DON'T know |
| eventually evolving into a tear, especially when | | | | that will hurt you and no one can force you to have |
| repetitively crushed as with deep squatting. The | | | | surgery. But if someone is trained to DO surgery |
| meniscus tear fragment, like the flap of synovium, | | | | when it's needed, then you will be getting a complete |
| can displace and get caught between the moving | | | | picture of your condition, including ALL your options. |
| femur and tibia, causing pain by traction, like a | | | | 6. If you don't see a doctor at this point, the |
| hangnail does, then snap when suddenly released. | | | | repetitive snapping of an internal derangement can |
| Loose bodies are little pieces of cartilage and/or bone | | | | damage the articular cartilage of the joint and |
| that are knocked out with trauma, fall out from a | | | | eventually result in arthritis. Therefore, if conservative |
| joint surface due to disease (osteochondritis | | | | treatments fail to promptly relieve pain and snapping, |
| dessicans), or are actually grown, like pearls, within | | | | to prevent permanent joint damage, arthroscopic |
| the synovial membrane (synovial chondromatosis | | | | surgery is usually required, to remove the source of |
| osteochondromatosis), and then break free inside the | | | | the snapping. |
| joint. Like the synovial flaps and meniscal tears, these | | | | |