Indiana Golf Journal May 2022

joints. Managing arthritis early with lifestyle changes will help protect your joints. Another common cause for a painful and noisy knee joint is an injured meniscus, which is a piece of stabilizing cartilage in your knee. If your meniscus tears, it will move in and out of place, causing a painful popping sensation. The meniscus gets weaker as you get older, so while a meniscus tear can happen at any age, it’s most common in adults 65 and older. “There aremanynon-operative andoperative treatments available,” says Dr. Kralovec. “I like to discuss all the treatment options with my patients and then work together to come up with a treatment plan based on their symptoms, lifestyle, and goals.” Is There a Way To Avoid Noisy Joint Pops? It’s not entirely possible to avoid noisy joint popping noises. However, there are ways to reduce inflammation and increase synovial fluid, which acts as a lubricant in your joints. When the synovial fluid is low, your joints have more friction and are more likely to crack and pop. 5 Tips to Help Avoid Noisy Joints 1. Stay hydrated: Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. 2. Manage and maintain a healthy weight: Extra weight adds extra stress to your joints. 3. Eat a nutrient-rich diet: Focus on foods with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. 4. Get regular cardiovascular exercise: Improve your heart health and circulation. 5. Stay active: Yoga, gentle stretching, and other lowimpact activities, like walking, are great ways to get physically moving.

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