My elbow makes noise. What?

April 27, 2008 7:36 PM

What to do if your elbow makes popping noises when you do push ups?

I tried a quick set tonight after a few months of not having done any and I can hear and feel a minor popping noise in my elbow when go down. It doesn't hurt but it sounds like if a joint had snapped into place all of a sudden.

Has anyone else experienced this?

posted by tksh to health (10 comments total)

Could be a tendon snapping over the joint. Try changing the position of your hands and see if it makes a difference.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:39 PM on April 27

This might go away on its own as you get back into a usual pattern. I'm an, ahem, on-again-off-again exerciser, and when I start up again, I sometimes have odd sound or click, but it always goes away within the first week or so.
posted by boomchicka at 7:45 PM on April 27

My elbows have always clicked like that when I do push-ups, but my left elbow will often click just for no particular reason at all after straightening it. I've often wondered what it is, and I hope I don't get bursitis or some crazy arthritis when I get older. My elbows have done that for years, and I haven't had a problem yet.
posted by cachondeo45 at 7:50 PM on April 27

My joints make noises all the time. My physio shrugs his shoulders and says not to worry.
posted by wilful at 10:59 PM on April 27

It happens sometimes. Does it cause you pain afterwards?

Shape of the growth of your cartilage.
posted by porpoise at 11:16 PM on April 27

Can you link to a video of your form?
posted by tiburon at 10:21 AM on April 28

I had the same problem, plus tendonitus, that made pushups painful. Bought a pair of these -- www.perfectpushup.com -- and both problems pretty much went away. Might be helpful to you, too. Good luck.

G
posted by gb77 at 12:09 PM on April 28

No pain whatsoever but I guess it could very well be my form. Thanks for the reassurances and suggestions!
posted by tksh at 2:56 PM on April 28

(That it to say, I'll keep at it and also use my camera to make sure I'm in proper form.)
posted by tksh at 2:57 PM on April 28

I get this too sometimes and I believe it was due to wrong form. I adjust sometimes it goes away and other times it doesn't
posted by spacesbetween at 8:18 PM on April 28