When your knuckles pop, your ankle cracks, or your hip makes that strange noise, do you ever wonder, “Is that bad?” Should you see a sports physical therapist or doctor about it?
Well, there’s no need to worry—it’s probably not a big deal if you’re not experiencing any pain when it happens.
I have this quirky habit every morning as soon as I get out of bed. I keep my right heel on the floor and move my knee over my toes until I feel and hear a pop in the back of my heel. It freaks out my wife, Deb, every time.
The cracking or popping in a joint is similar to the sound of pressure being released from a soda bottle. Over time, pressure builds up within a joint, and for some people, it feels good to release it. That’s the noise you’re feeling and hearing.
However, if you experience pain when the pop occurs or if the area feels unstable, it’s important to reach out to us. We can help determine the root cause of these issues and whether any treatment is necessary.
We’ll assess if your pain is related to arthritis, overuse, or another movement-related issue that we can address through physical therapy, with exercises you can do at home.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself. If you answer “yes” to any of these, it might be time to seek help:
1) Is the popping I feel painful?
2) Has there been a recent injury to this area?
3) Does this area feel unstable?
4) Do I have weakness in this area?
You might not even need to visit the office—a phone call could be enough. Check out our homepage here and click on the “free phone consultation” tab!
