Knee Clicking and Pain - 3 Things You Must Know About the Right Treatment For Your Knee

Have you ever heard that clicking or crunching in your knees when you walk or crouch down? For some of us, it has happened for so long that we have grown used to it and are now able to ignore it and just accept it as normal. For others of us, we have that feeling that something is not right but we're not quite sure what it is. And for still others of us, we experience pain around the front of the knee or just under the knee cap and are simply resigned to the fact that we have bad knees.

One of the main causes of this kind of knee pain is the knee cap. In fact, the knee cap is one of the parts of the body that we generally give very little thought to and many people actually don't know much about. Here we will explore 3 widely unknown secrets about the knee cap and why it gives you pain, discomforting and clicking or crunching noises.

1. Movement - The kneecap slides up and down a groove on the end of the thigh bone as the knee bends. The kneecap is designed to fit in the center of this groove, and slide evenly within the groove. However, in some people, the kneecap is pulled towards the outside of the knee. As this happens, the kneecap does not slide centrally within its groove. This can cause clicking or crunching noises when you walk for a long period or when you bend. Over time, this can lead to the knee cap becoming dislocated. If your kneecap has become dislocated, you will need your doctor or physiotherapist to provide you with treatment.

2. Pain Relief - In my own experience with knee cap problems following knee surgery, I was advised by my physiotherapist to strengthen my inner quad muscle. This would have the effect of pulling my kneecap back into proper alignment to allow it to slide in its groove smoothly again. I was also able to massage the knee cap to loosen it up so that it could move more freely without causing such discomfort. This is done by using a cream such as sorbolene and gently pushing the kneecap from the outer side of the knee in towards the opposite knee while the leg is stretched out straight. In fact, doing this at any time discomfort or tightness of the kneecap is felt can bring some immediate temporary relief. Focusing also on strengthening of the hip abductors and hip flexors offers better control of the kneecap.

3. Taping - One of the most helpful things you can do to reduce, and even eliminate, pain and discomfort due to knee cap mis-alignment is to tape it. This involves using a special type of tape that is used to pull the kneecap across towards the inner part of the knee and hold it there for an extended period of time, such as a full day, while you go about your usual activities. From first hand experience, this has been one of the most amazing ways to relieve knee pain resulting from kneecap problems.