Thank You from Second Half
January 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Next week will mark the one-year birthday of Second Half, our place to tell your high school sports stories.
And I thank you for helping us to such a great start.
We knew what we hoped to accomplish starting this site a year ago, but we've learned quite a bit during a relatively short time. Although we continue to pursue the mission of being home of the state’s best high school stories and a daily stop for fans, we’ll continue to experiment to figure out what you'd most like to see and how best we can continue to pass along the great things happening in MHSAA athletics.
A few things to call to your attention as we move ahead:
- First and foremost, we strive to tell your stories – hoping to hit every sport and all regions of our state – and have some intriguing ones coming up as we get into the second half of the winter season. Stay tuned.
- Second Half is the home for the “Battle of the Fans II.” We have visits to Buchanan and Vandercook Lake next week, followed by Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Zeeland East the week after. We’ll announce the winner Feb. 22. All will be found here first.
- We've revamped our video page (see menu across the top of this screen) and will be adding more videos more regularly in the year to come.
- After a brief hiatus, we’ll next week bring back “High 5s” featuring two athletes and a team that have done great things this season.
- What you’re reading now is the first of a weekly “First Pitch” blog that will allow us to post more of the quick hits we run across in our regular travels. Make sure to continue checking out the twice-weekly blog by Executive Director Jack Roberts, as well as the Viewpoints and SAC Sound-Offs supplied regularly by our friends from the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and the members of our Student Advisory Council, respectively.
- We began providing in-depth statewide coverage – both previewing and then postgame reporting – of our Finals in every sport this fall, and hope to become your first and fastest source for the stories behind our championships.
We’re always looking for ideas both for stories or any other features you’d like to see – and feel free to send them directly to me at [email protected].
And again, thank you again for coming to our site today. We look forward to seeing you more in the year to come.
Snap, Crackle & Pop: Why Do My Knees Make Noises - And Should I See a Doctor?
April 5, 2022
Do you ever just go about your daily life and then, seemingly out of nowhere, your knee makes a noise?
You might call it a weird idiosyncrasy and not think twice about it—or you might turn to the Internet to try and find all of the potential issues that might be wrong with your knee.
But if your knee pops or cracks once in a while, it’s usually no cause for concern. After all, joints sometimes make noises, and knees are no exception (especially when you squat or sit down.)
“Infrequent knee pops and cracks are more common in the younger population, says Nancy White, M.D., a sports medicine physician at Henry Ford Health. “When you feel that ‘pop,’ it means your kneecap was pulled a bit outside of where it’s supposed to be, and so it’s correcting itself and getting back into position. You can kind of feel that something moved.”
If, however, pain or swelling accompanies a noisy knee, you should have it evaluated by a sports medicine provider. And if your knee is popping or cracking regularly, that's another sign you should have it checked out.
“If you let it go, your knee could get worse,” says Dr. White. “There are recommendations a doctor can make to prevent this from happening, such as strengthening and flexibility exercises.”
What Is Knee Crepitus?
If your knee sounds like Rice Krispies crackling (or you experience a grinding sensation) it likely means you have knee crepitus, which can signify the beginning of osteoarthritis behind the kneecap.
“Knee crepitus is primarily caused by an issue called patellofemoral dysfunction,” says Dr. White. That sounds like a mouthful, but it means that your knee isn’t tracking straight up and down like it’s supposed to.
“There’s cartilage on the back of your kneecap and on the front part of your thigh, and the cartilage on the front part of your thighbone makes a groove so the kneecap can glide straight up and down in a floating position,” says Dr. White. “If the cartilage is worn down (and inflamed, worn-down cartilage signifies osteoarthritis), the kneecap can’t smoothly glide up and down, causing knee crepitus.”
If you are experiencing knee crepitus, you should see a sports medicine primary care physician, especially if it is accompanied by pain. They can recommend a variety of treatments, such as physical therapy and cortisone injections.
Still not sure if your noisy knees are cause for concern? When in doubt, call your doctor. After all, the sooner your doctor can examine it, the sooner you can prevent an issue from getting worse.
To learn more about your orthopedic condition or to find a provider, visit henryford.com/ortho.
Dr. Nancy White is a sports medicine physician with Henry Ford Health. She sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Center – Novi, and Henry Ford Medical Center – Bloomfield Township.