[treasureabby]

Lately my knees have been feeling different. A lot of popping that causes pain when I do the following activities: Standing up and bending from croched positions, walking up the stairs, anything involving bending the knee.
I believe it is exhaustion because I am a part time student in college and I also work at a restaurant 30-35 hrs a week. Though I remember myself, everyone works hard and I just do my best to come home and rest for the new day.
The pain began in January and it continues now. With every popping noise I worry if I need to do things differently.
I am a 23 yr. old female, standing at 5'8, weighing 125-130lbs.
I don't like the feeling and I want to know what I need to do to stop the pain and prevent any early signs of illness if that is the case.

[joypulv]

You are young to be having (very common) knee problems, but waitressing certainly can be tough on knees. One thing that causes a lot of stress is leaning forward, locking your knees to support yourself from falling forward.
(Injury of course too - I injured one knee and it affected it for years, and a bit for life.)
Usually the popping is a sign of loss of synovial fluid, which leaks out of the pouch around the bones of the knee. Cartilage can degenerate too (chondromalacia). Early treatment is usually rest, moist warmth, gently exercise of flexing your knees in all directions while lying down, and maybe knee braces or sleeve bandages. Later treatment is surgery. A scan can be done to determine what kind of degeneration is going on.