CLICKING JOINTS

• Consistency is the only way to really improve. To be consistent, you have to be running. Less running, more consistently, is always going to be faster than lots of running unsystematically due to injury. Philip Hatzis

QWhy do joints click? Christian Pearson

AWhile we do know that ‘clicking’ is nothing serious and doesn’t cause any harm, the honest answer is that there’s no clear scientific answer as to why our joints can click and pop. There are a number of different theories, though: the noise is from nitrogen bubbles escaping in the joint; from bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint; or from tendons and ligaments passing over each other or passing over bony surfaces of the joint.

Don’t believe the old wive’s tale that clicking and cracking joints will cause arthritis. Unless this sound is accompanied by pain, swelling or signs of inflammation it’s considered normal and is nothing to worry about. Should you experience pain, discomfort or swelling with the popping then it’d be a good idea to reach out to your local physiotherapist or doctor, as an assessment would be needed to rule out any form of injury.

Gentle regular movement, which can include stretches, mobility exercises, body weight strength work and light weights, will all help reduce clicking and popping. The more active you are, the more your joints move and lubricate themselves. Identifing areas of your body that are restricted in range of movement or have a tendency to get stiffer or tighter and then addressing them with mobility work will also help. Caoimhe McNamara