feel a popping or a clicking

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Weezl

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Has anyone felt a popping or a clicking?? If i move my ankle to the left and right while sitting and my legs are extended in front of my there is a slight click. When I walk I also feel that click. Right at the top of the tibia and center of my knee.
 
Yes! I found out thru PT if I do not concentrate on my quads I feel the clicking, since I have been more aware of my quads I do not geel it anymore. Also, my PT told me the swelling can cause it too.
Debbi
 
Mostly likely a movement of fluid or air in the joint. You know when people stretch their arms and their elbow clicks. Even a normal knee gets clicks like this from time to time. As long as they are not causing you pain, there's not need to worry.
 
probably swelling as the tendons and the muscles are alittle puffy ging over the new stuff---I had the same type of clicking and as soon as th swelling subsided so did the clicking. The MD and the PT weren't at all worried
Par for the course, I guess

TIm C.
 
I have had increased popping during times of increased swelling. Now that I am nearly 3 months post surgery, I still get some swelling, but rarely the popping anymore.
 
I'm about 4 months into my TKR. I have been back to my surgeon twice about the clicking, and me has informed me that it is the play in the new joint, and that I will feel the clicking and popping for the rest of my life. My PT has worked with several TKRs and she has not heard the clicking or popping that she has heard in mine. I tried to get a second opinon, but I was told I must wait til Oct. (6 months after the TKR.)
 
My PT told me the popping is the patella tracking along the femoral plate in the knee joint. She said as the quads get stronger, and finally begin to fire at full capacity, this will stop.
Best,
Crystal
 
I've been told repeatedly, and read in many different places, that occasional clicking or squeaking is normal.

We must bear in mind that our soft cartilage has been replaced by hard metal and plastic. The metal especially makes those sensations and noises much more "harsh" than they would be with natural tissues. The sounds -- which would be deadened by cartilage in a normal knee -- are transmitted through metal, through our bones and straight to our inner ear and thus sound louder than they otherwise would.

*IF* this is all that's happening, then nothing is wrong and we WILL get used to it in time, just like we learn to ignore smells or the sounds of traffic near home, etc.

The key word in the above (IMHO) is "occasional."

My knee has popped loudly, twice, with every step I've ever taken from the first one in the hospital to the last as I sat down with my laptop a few minutes ago.

To quote Larry the Cable Guy -- "That ain't right."

My surgeon blew me off repeatedly. A second said "come back in 6 months or a year if it's still bugging you."

Thankfully I got angry and lucky at the same time and found a third who would listen and was able to diagnose the problem and give me a plan to fix it.

Obviously I'm no expert, but I am experienced and relatively well read. My understanding is that the difference between "normal" and "not" is two fold:

(1) Occasional clicking is normal, constant clicking with every step may not be (I'd say "probably isn't).
(2) If it hurts, it should not be ignored.

Personally I'd not worry based on what you describe -- I believe we can all make them click a bit by swinging our foot laterally -- but if it's painful or happens with every step, then you may want to keep pushing until you find someone who will listen to you.

In my case, I was told it was caused by the fat pad under the patella getting pinched between the patella and the top/front edge of the femoral component. This is painful, as the fat pad is full of nerves.

You might also want to google "patellar clunk syndrome". As I understand it, this is a piece of scar tissue getting stuck on the tibial component and then snapping free.

Only you can decide whether it's normal or a problem. It's hard to know, especially if your OS -- like mine -- won't listen to you.

If it hurts, or is especially bothersome, I'd say don't give up. Bear in mind, though, that many Doctors are afraid of getting in the middle of a malpractice situation. I had better luck when I made it plain that I'd never do such a thing, I will never be anything but grateful, I'm not angry but I have a problem and I just want it FIXED.

In my case, though in all other ways it is infinitely better than before, the clunking and the pain it causes made my walking worse than it was pre-surgery. I cannot accept this outcome.

I get an odd tick or click at certain other times, while these are a bit odd they don't hurt and I would consider them "par for the course." The painful clunking is not.

Read up, think about how the joints are made and installed and you should be able to tell the difference between "OK" and "NOT ok" -- if it's not OK then don't give up until someone listens to you.

Let me know if I can help -- I'd like to pass it on...

DD
 
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