What’s wrong with my knee joint that rattles when I move it? What should I do if my knee joint is clicking? A clicking knee may be caused by a lack of synovial fluid in the knee joint. This synovial fluid is present in the spaces of the joint. This synovial fluid is not always present, but when the joint moves, it squeezes the synovial membrane and produces synovial fluid, which serves to lubricate the joint. If the synovial membrane is not squeezed by the outside world due to lack of exercise, the synovial fluid will become less and the joint will have a “clicking” sensation, giving the feeling that the knee is being rubbed. The medical term for this is “knee popping”. There are two types of knee rattles: physiological and pathological. Most knee popping is physiological, and although it makes a sound, there is no discomfort in other parts of the body and there is no harm to the knee. These cases do not require special treatment and are not a cause for concern. Pathological knee rattling is accompanied by other symptoms, such as knee pain and swelling, in addition to “clicking”, which indicates a problem with the knee. For example, osteoarthrosis of the patellofemoral joint, meniscus damage and other knee diseases are prone to “clicking”. If you have these 6 symptoms in your knee joint, you should pay attention to them Pain is commonly found above the medial joint space of the knee, and the intensity of the “hidden pain” can be large or small. Most pain is characterized by aggravation after exertion or exercise, relief after rest, aggravation after cold, and relief after warmth. There are exceptions, however, where the pain may worsen at night or even decrease with exercise. The pain may last for 3 to 4 weeks (with complete rest) during an episode of osteoarthritis, but in some middle-aged men it lasts even up to six months. Swelling Swelling is classified as acute or chronic. Most of the acute ones are reversible and appear mostly on the anterior aspect of the thigh above the patella (commonly known as the kneecap), and can be relieved or even disappear after rest. Chronic swelling is common in the two knee eyes (the depression under the knee that resembles the eye of the knee), which are accentuated by chronic hyperplasia of the fatty tissue below the patella. Morning stiffness A classic symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, but many knees with arthritis also get stiff first thing in the morning and need to be moved around for a while to stretch out. This symptom is mostly seen in early arthritis and may progress to pain with more severity. Weakness Patients with osteoarthritis experience a decrease in muscle strength around the knee as they age, which can lead to weakness and difficulty walking up and down stairs. Stuckness Some patients with knee arthritis experience the problem of walking around and getting stuck, and then being able to walk again after a while. Fear of cold The fear of cold is different in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is mostly relieved in the summer, while rheumatoid arthritis is not. Osteoarthritis worsens in the winter, especially before or after the heat goes out, and is seasonal. Fear of cold, wind and humidity are common to many types of arthritis. How to take care of our knee joints? Weight control The heavier the body weight, the greater the force on the knee joint and the faster the wear and tear. It is recommended that people with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 24 should lose weight. The calculation is as follows: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height squared (㎡) WHO recommends a healthy BMI of 18.5 to 23.9, and 18.5 to 22.9 for Asians. BMI does not apply to children, pregnant women, athletes, and patients. Changes in lifestyle habits Avoid repeated squatting exercises or prolonged squatting, climbing hills or going up and down stairs. Likewise, avoid exercises such as punching and squatting, which can put tremendous pressure on the joints, and climbing hills and stairs, which put a lot of pressure on the patellofemoral joint. Adhere to moderate and reasonable exercise joint often exercise, can let the joint cartilage is properly stimulated, promote metabolism, so that the synovial fluid can flow everywhere in the joint, play the role of lubrication and provide nutrition. On the contrary, if you do not exercise for a long time, the muscle tissue around the joints will gradually atrophy. Over time, the joints lose their protection and the chance of injury naturally increases. Older people who do not exercise are prone to osteoporosis, and their bodies will lack agility and coordination, making it easy to fall and cause serious fractures. You need to find an exercise that is safe for your knee joint and stick to it. For example, swimming (avoid excessive pedaling), cycling, brisk walking, etc. If you feel uncomfortable during exercise, stop immediately and don’t force yourself. Know your limits, do your best, gradually increase the time and volume, and warm up well before and after exercise. Exercise the quadriceps The quadriceps is the most important muscle group in the human thigh. It is not only responsible for our main strength when walking, walking up and down stairs, squatting and other movements, but also for the stability of our knee joint, especially the patella and the stability of the knee joint in the front and back. Daily leg lifts can be a good exercise for the quadriceps, keep the knee joint elastic, promote metabolism, and effectively protect the knee joint. The method is as follows: sit in a chair, knee straight while hooking the toes, and force the whole leg taut and keep it horizontal. At this time will feel the muscles of the thighs in force, touch hard, each time adhere to 10 seconds, and then relax for 10 seconds, 30 times a day in the morning, 30 times in the afternoon. Avoid being sedentary Sitting for long periods of time without exercise can make the muscles loose and lack strength, which can make joint pain worse. You need to find an exercise that is safer for your knee and stick to it.