What Was That?!

Our bodies often make all sorts of noises while we're working out. Some sounds are normal and harmless while others may indicate a larger problem.

Why do your joints make different sounds while you exercise?

Pop! Do you hear popping sounds? This could be when a joint dislocates and then pops back into place. The potential problem is that the joint may not go back into its original position.

Grind! Over time, your cartilage can wear down, removing the natural padding and allowing joints to rub together. Normally grinding noise is harmless, except in the knee. You don't want to ignore grinding in the knees.

Snap! Snapping is the friction between two tendons, as in the ankles. If the area doesn't hurt, you probably do not need to be concerned.

Crack! Cracking sound is usually from a vacuum being created between joints. Cracking knuckles for instance isn't inherently harmful, but can overstretch the joints, making them unstable if done too often.

Knowing how to work around or through joint, tendon and muscle sounds is an important benefit of working with our personal trainers. Stretching the affected area, as well as knowing which exercises to avoid for a time is important.

Other exercises also strengthen your core and abs: squats, triceps pushdown, lat pulldown, bicep bar curl.

Or, if you and your Doctor feel you have damaged an area, see us about Massage Therapy & Physical Therapy