Does your Knee Click or Pop with Movement?
In the last post, you learned about the knee. Now let’s talk about the stuff between the two bones of the knee called the meniscus. The meniscus is built by two long bones, the femur or thighbone, the tibia with the fibula sitting below the knee joint. The patella sits in front of the knee and is entrapped by tendons of the quad muscles. It is a an important bone that is required for knee bending.
Have you ever experienced a clicking or popping like pain in the knee?
The meniscus is made up of 2 semi-circular fibrocartilage. It is meant to be a compressive barrier between the two bones, the femur and tibia, and it helps provide a frictionless surface for the femoral condyles and the tibia plateau. The meniscus structure is such that it is shaped like two partially circular structures. The meniscus is the material between the two bones that help absorb compression and allows for almost frictionless movement.
The knee itself is built really well for movements like flexion and extension or front and back. If the knee is bent, there is some rotation but not much. Too much rotation over time may lead to degeneration of the meniscus and injury.
What’s that popping or clicking sound you may hear in your knee when you squat or lung? It can be a piece of meniscus from a tear.
So here is a video showing what tests are done or performed in my office to help differentiate if it is a meniscus tear or not.
Check out the video below for some of the assessment done for the meniscus.
https://youtu.be/XN_KgMVfcKI
Now not any one test is used to determine the integrity of the knee. While MRI is the leading choice to determine structural integrity, an in depth assessment of the knee, with the previously mentioned orthopedic tests as well as functional movement screens and a history will tell you so much about the knee, the person, and the limits because of an injury.
A movement assessment, or daily routine review may be necessary to indicate what is holding you back from your activities of daily living.
So when you have a knee injury, please come in, get an assessment and determine the condition of your knee. This is especially important if you are considering surgery. We can build a treatment plan designed to help you return pain free to your daily activities and avoid the stress, pain and recovery of surgery. If necessary we order imaging of the knee to help with the diagnosis and prognosis of your condition.
Schedule your appointment today to get your knee screened and treated!!
Dr. Bird is a Board Certified Chiropractor. He specializes in musculoskeletal conditions and the diagnosis and treatment of conditions. He specializes in functional rehab and strengthening for the benefit of building resiliency in his patients. The goal is not lifetime care inside of his office. The goal is to provide quality care quickly, and provide movement strategies to prevent injuries where possible. He is a certifed Active Release Technique provider, a RockTape Provider, and educated in Mechanical Diagnosis Therapy, Selective Functional Movement Assessment, and Functional Soft Tissue.
He is centrally located in the Salt Lake Valley in Midvale Utah. He treats aspiring athletes as well as every day hard working citizens.