Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 1/22/2009

Question
hello! i am a 22 yr old female. i decided to buy a workout video and try it out. one of the "moves" is to stand in place, raise your arms perpendicular to your body, and rotate the body left to right. when i did this i noticed a strange sort of grinding noise. there also seemed to be a strange feeling, like a laboring breathing feeling. it doesnt happen when i have my arms down, only when they are raised. should i seek medical treatment? i am starting to worry

Answer
Amber,

First, any difficulty with breathing is a problem that should be investigated by your physician to rule out the possibility of an underlying medical disorder.

Grinding noises with joint movement is generally an indicator of crepitus. Crepitus in osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage around joints has eroded away and the joint ends grind against one another, or when the fracture surfaces of two broken bones rub together.

In soft tissues, crepitus can be produced when gas is introduced into an area where it normally isn't present.

I hope this answers your question.