Elbow Clicking During Push-Ups: Causes, Solutions, and Prevention

How to Fix Clicking Elbow When Doing Push-Ups?

Clicking elbows during push-ups, often a benign phenomenon called crepitus, can frequently be resolved by meticulously assessing and correcting your form, improving joint mobility, addressing muscle imbalances, and gradually progressing your training.

Understanding Elbow Clicking (Crepitus)

Elbow clicking, or crepitus, is a common occurrence in joints throughout the body. It refers to the sound or sensation of cracking, popping, or grinding that can happen during movement. While it can be alarming, it is often harmless.

Common Causes of Joint Crepitus:

• Gas Bubbles (Cavitation): The most frequent cause. Synovial fluid, which lubricates our joints, contains dissolved gases. When a joint is moved, these gases can rapidly form and collapse bubbles, producing a popping sound. This is similar to cracking your knuckles.
• Tendon or Ligament Movement: A tendon or ligament may snap over a bony protrusion as the joint moves, creating a sound. This is generally painless.
• Joint Surface Irregularities: Minor irregularities in the cartilage surfaces of the joint can cause a subtle grinding or clicking as they rub together. This can be due to natural variations, or in some cases, early signs of wear (osteoarthritis) if accompanied by pain.

Common Causes of Elbow Clicking During Push-Ups

When specifically performing push-ups, the elbow joint undergoes significant stress and a large range of motion. Several factors can contribute to clicking:

• Suboptimal Form and Alignment:
  • Elbow Flaring: Allowing elbows to flare out wide (perpendicular to the body) places excessive valgus stress on the elbow joint, potentially causing tendons or ligaments to rub or shift.
  • Hyperextension: Locking out or hyperextending the elbows at the top of the movement can cause joint surfaces to compress or ligaments to snap.
  • Incorrect Hand Position: Hands placed too wide, too narrow, or with fingers pointing inward can alter elbow mechanics.
• Muscle Imbalances:
  • Weak Triceps: If the triceps brachii are not strong enough to control the eccentric (lowering) phase or stabilize the joint during the concentric (pushing) phase, other structures may bear undue stress.
  • Weak Scapular Stabilizers: Poor stability of the shoulder blade (scapula) can lead to compensatory movements at the shoulder and elbow, altering joint mechanics.
  • Overactive Chest Muscles: An imbalance where the pectoralis major dominates can pull the shoulders forward, impacting the entire kinetic chain.
• Mobility Restrictions:
  • Limited Wrist Extension: If wrist extension is restricted, you might compensate by altering elbow position or overloading the wrist joint.
  • Limited Forearm Pronation/Supination: Restricted rotation of the forearm can affect how the hand interacts with the ground and how the elbow tracks.
  • Shoulder Mobility Issues: Restricted internal or external rotation of the shoulder can force the elbow into awkward positions.
• Previous Injury or Degeneration:
  • Tendinopathy: Chronic inflammation or degeneration of tendons around the elbow (e.g., golfer's elbow or tennis elbow) can cause clicking and pain.
  • Osteoarthritis: Degenerative changes in the joint cartilage can lead to more pronounced grinding or clicking.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Address Elbow Clicking

Addressing elbow clicking requires a systematic approach, focusing on form, mobility, and strength.

Assess and Correct Your Form

• Hand Placement: Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, directly under your shoulders. Fingers should point forward or slightly angled outward (no more than 15 degrees). This allows for optimal wrist and elbow alignment.
• Elbow Angle: As you lower, aim to keep your elbows tucked closer to your body, forming an angle of about 45-60 degrees with your torso. Avoid letting them flare out to 90 degrees. This reduces stress on the elbow joint and better engages the triceps.
• Scapular Stability: Before initiating the movement, slightly retract and depress your shoulder blades. Throughout the push-up, maintain this scapular control, preventing your shoulders from shrugging towards your ears.
• Core Engagement: Keep your core tight and glutes squeezed to maintain a straight line from head to heels. A sagging midsection can alter the entire kinetic chain and put undue stress on the shoulders and elbows.
• Controlled Movement: Perform each repetition slowly and deliberately. Avoid "dropping" into the bottom position or explosively locking out at the top. Control the eccentric (lowering) phase, taking 2-3 seconds to descend.

Improve Joint Mobility

Targeted mobility drills can ensure your joints have the necessary range of motion to perform push-ups safely.

• Wrist Mobility Drills:
  • Wrist Circles: Gently rotate wrists in both directions.
  • Wrist Extensions/Flexions: Gently stretch wrists into full extension and flexion.
• Forearm Pronation/Supination:
  • Hold your arm out straight with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Rotate your palm up (supination) and down (pronation) slowly and deliberately.
• Thoracic Spine Mobility:
  • Cat-Cow Stretch: On hands and knees, arch and round your back to improve thoracic extension and flexion.
  • Thoracic Rotations: In a side-lying position, open up your top arm to rotate your torso.
• Shoulder Mobility:
  • Wall Slides: Stand with your back against a wall, arms bent at 90 degrees with elbows and wrists touching the wall. Slide arms up and down, keeping contact.
  • Arm Circles: Perform slow, controlled arm circles in both directions.

Address Muscle Imbalances & Weaknesses

Strengthening the muscles that support the elbow and shoulder is crucial for stability and injury prevention.

• Strengthen Triceps: Incorporate exercises like:
  • Close-Grip Push-Ups (Modified): On knees or incline to build strength with proper form.
  • Overhead Triceps Extensions: Using dumbbells or cables.
  • Triceps Pushdowns: With cables.
• Strengthen Scapular Stabilizers: Focus on exercises that pull the shoulder blades together and down:
  • Face Pulls: With a cable machine or resistance band.
  • Band Pull-Aparts: With a resistance band.
  • Y-T-W Raises: Lying prone, lifting arms into Y, T, and W shapes.
• Strengthen Rotator Cuff: Essential for shoulder stability:
  • Internal and External Rotations: With light dumbbells or resistance bands.
• Balance Push-Pull: Ensure your training includes an equal or greater volume of pulling exercises (e.g., rows, pull-ups) to balance the pushing movements and promote shoulder health.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Always begin your workout with a dynamic warm-up to prepare your joints and muscles for activity. Conclude with a cool-down that includes static stretches to improve flexibility.

• Dynamic Warm-Up: Light cardio, arm circles, wrist rotations, cat-cow, light push-up variations (e.g., wall push-ups).
• Cool-Down: Gentle stretches for chest, triceps, and forearms.

Consider Modifications

If clicking persists, modifying the push-up can help reduce stress while you work on underlying issues.

• Elevated Push-Ups (Incline Push-Ups): Performing push-ups with your hands on an elevated surface (bench, table, wall) reduces the load and allows you to focus on form.
• Knee Push-Ups: Another way to decrease the load and practice perfect form.
• Push-Ups on Handles/Dumbbells: Using push-up handles or dumbbells allows for a neutral wrist position, which can indirectly improve elbow comfort.
• Tempo Training: Slowing down the movement (e.g., 3 seconds down, 1-second pause, 3 seconds up) can improve motor control and muscle activation.

When to Seek Professional Medical Advice

While most elbow clicking is benign, it's important to consult a healthcare professional, such as a doctor, physical therapist, or kinesiologist, if you experience any of the following:

• Pain: Clicking accompanied by sharp or persistent pain in the elbow or surrounding areas.
• Swelling or Redness: Signs of inflammation.
• Locking or Catching: The joint getting stuck during movement.
• Decreased Range of Motion: Inability to fully straighten or bend your elbow.
• Weakness: Noticeable loss of strength in the arm or hand.
• Persistent Clicking: If the clicking does not improve after consistent application of the above strategies for several weeks.

By systematically addressing form, mobility, and strength, most individuals can resolve elbow clicking during push-ups and continue to build strength safely and effectively.