Worrying over knee crunching and pain!

[snowflake293]

For months I have noticed my knees make a crunchy noise when I bend down/get back up. There was no pain with it so I thought it was just one of those things and was probably cause I'd gained 2 stone (which I am trying to lose!)

Anyway, I have started exercising 3 times a week now doing Aqua Aerobics followed by a swim and I noticed yesterday during the class that when I kick I feel pain in my knees!

I am so worried as I am only 33 and I am scared it is arthritis. I had to go through tests a few years ago and was referred to a rheumatologist due to clicking and pain in my ankle (which I still have!) but they said it was leaking synovial fluid and nothing to worry about and gave me a shoe insert (which doesnt fit in my shoes, lol)

Anyway I am freaking out now as exercise is a HUGE way of me managing my mental health. My health anxiety has been much better lately BECAUSE I am exercise and burning up all that unwanted adrenaline, but I am so frightened now that I am going to end up with bad knees and not be able to exercise.

I really dont know what to do, I as doing so well and now this has happened and I am so frightened that I will end up with a serious condition!

[Blonde123]

Hi I can’t help you with your symptoms but I can tell you this. My son who is 15 has horrendous ankle clicking. When he walks down the stairs all you hear is clicking it knock me sick! He says it doesn’t hurt him and it actually amuses him to see my face! Then when his friend comes he is even worse cause his ankle clicks every time he walks!! I’m not sure if it’s cause they are big strapping lads but it’s an awful noise to hear.
I’m really interested in what you said about exercise. I hate sports etc always have done but I’m wondering how it works for anxiety? X

[snowflake293]

Hi I can’t help you with your symptoms but I can tell you this. My son who is 15 has horrendous ankle clicking. When he walks down the stairs all you hear is clicking it knock me sick! He says it doesn’t hurt him and it actually amuses him to see my face! Then when his friend comes he is even worse cause his ankle clicks every time he walks!! I’m not sure if it’s cause they are big strapping lads but it’s an awful noise to hear.
I’m really interested in what you said about exercise. I hate sports etc always have done but I’m wondering how it works for anxiety? X

My ankle clicking is really loud, like you can hear it on a busy train kind of loud!

Exercise is great for anxiety. It helps me to get out the house and be with people and it also tends to burn off any adrenaline. My anxiety gets so bad I can't sit still so getting out and doing some exercise really helps with that.

I used to self harm and I get the same 'release' from exercise that I did from self harm. It is a coping mechanism for me xxx

[Blonde123]

Thanks I might give it a go.
Have you had any arthritis bloods done?

[pulisa]

I don't think you need to worry about arthritis, snowflake.

Great that you find exercise helps burn off your excess adrenaline.

[wilky44]

Both my knees pop like gunshots every time I fully bend them. Have done since I was a child and I've had no issues with them. I can pop them on demand! It's just one of those things

I would recommend good shoes though if you can afford them. Get gait analysis at a recognised shop, and they will recommend shoes for you. Makes a world of difference. I currently have asics gels and they are brilliant

[Towelie]

I have crunching in my upper spine and neck and it definitely gets way more frequent when im anxious. This was recently a huge concern for me.

Really pay attention to form when exercising and stretch A LOT. Stretching and dismissing my crunching as anxiety seems to make it almost completely go away. Hope this helps!

[snowflake293]

Hi everyone

Thanks for all the replies. I think my knees are under more strain as I am overweight (BMI 31) so when I lose some weight it will ease off.

I am eating healthier and drinking less booze and doing aqua fit classes and swimming which helps. I have lost about 4 lbs but its taken like, a month! It comes off very slowly now I am in my thirties (in my twenties I could drop weight very easily lol!)

Anxiety much better regarding my knees. I think they were bad cause I had done relatively a lot of exercise (3 classes in 5 days) and they arent used to all that kicking, even in water!

I havent done any classes this week but I have been up and about walking around etc and probably going to start my classes again next week. Knees feeling ok at the moment.

Health anxiety is just so weird, I can go from worrying over one thing to another, and often if I have another drama going on in my life the health anxiety totally disappears... it is like my mind HAS to have something to worry about :( xxx

[EKB]

Just wanted to say well done for managing so well! I also find exercise helps a lot. If I lived somewhere with a pool I'd do aquafit too. But I do yoga and some light strength training/cardio most weeks. I occasionally skip a week which I was initially afraid would cause me to stop, but now I find I miss it so much after I skip that it's a relief to get back at it. Can't say I've lost much weight scale wise, but I'm certainly more toned and stronger.

I do find that as I do more aches and pains will come up... Which when you have HA is that much harder to deal with. But I find resting a bit and taking the wait and see approach helpful. Right now I have some back pain that's making my HA act up - but as it's running its course and I've rested and done some yoga and light exercise I'm feeling better about it. I look at it like HA is an additional complication that we need to consider, but manage it like anything else.

Keep up the good work! I'm glad your knees are feeling better :)