Knee swelling and clicking

[julieanne]

I felt my knee needed to ‘click’ on Sunday before a run but had no ill effects during the run. Afterwards on Mon/Tue it just felt like I’d bruised the muscle just above the kneecap and I could feel it tighten whenever I bent my leg fully. When I ran on Thurs I had no pain but my knee did start to tighten up so I just did 4 miles, later on itswelled up and whenever I straightened my leg I had a click around thekneecap. The swellings gone down with ice and rest but I still get a click when I straighten my leg, it’s from the lower kneecap area andfeels like the movement is under the bone, the only pain is from going up stairswhen I push off from the floor, I can feel instability and if I put my hand onmy kneecap I can feel movement (bumping) underneath as I straighten the leg.

Any idea's on what this could be?

Many Thanks in advance!

[Heidi]

Could be a patella mal-tracking problem (patellofemoral pain syndrome), or chondromalacia patella - cartilage damage on reverse of patella.
Have a read on these two injuries on site!

[julieanne]

thanks for your reply I will check this out.