Pain Behind The Knee: Self
Pain in the hollow of the knee and behind the knee, respectively, is mostly caused by tensed muscles and trigger points in areas of the calf, knee and the back of the thigh.
Fortunately, serious injuries are rarely the cause, especially if there is no known trauma or injury.
Even when there is structural wear and tear, such as damaged cartilage etc., knee pain can often be alleviated by getting rid of excessive muscle tension and sometimes even eliminated.
In the next chapter, I will lead you step by step through a self-massage of the muscles often responsible for knee pain. Follow these instructions and chances are good that your knee will feel better.
Tennis Leg Causing Muscle Pain And Swelling Behind The Knee
A condition called tennis leg can also cause pain in the back of your leg behind the knee.
Tennis leg is associated with damage to the gastrocnemius where damage to the muscle and the soleus muscle in the calf causes a buildup of fluid.
According to the journal Radiology Case Reports, tennis leg is often a result of sports injuries. Damage to the calf muscles can cause swelling and pain in the posterior knee.10
Possible Causes Of Pain Behind The Knee On Back Of Leg
There are some possible causes that may lead to pain behind the kneecap. Reading through the symptoms will help you determine which one out of these causes might be the one causing your behind the knee pain and thus, help find out the most possible cause of the problem.
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Nagging Knee Pain Is No Fun
The problem is that knee pain is far too common: Research suggests about one in four adults will suffer frequent knee pain. Pay attention to the type of ache you experience since some causes for pain in the back of the knee warrant a trip to the emergency room. Miho Tanaka, MD, the director of the Womens Sports Medicine Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, says the things that warrant immediate medical attention are blood clotsthey can cause numbness and weakness in the legand fevers and redness associated with swelling. Although swelling in the knee has many causes, in rare cases, it could be a sign of an infection, so its a good idea to seek immediate care for that as well, says;Steven Lyons, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Florida Orthopaedic Institute in Tampa, Florida. He adds that knee pain experienced after a major trauma like a fall or a car accident means you need an ER visit. If the knee pain lingers longer than a week or two without any prior injury, Dr. Lyons recommends visiting a doctor instead.
If You Have Leg Pain In The Back Of Your Knee Or Calf:
This is most likely a symptom of gastrocnemius tendonitis . The gastrocnemius muscle, which is the muscle that makes up your calf, controls the bending of your knees and the pointing of your toes. A sport that requires you to accelerate quickly can strain or tear the calf muscle. Other symptoms include swelling and bruising of the calf or trouble standing tiptoe.
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I Only Have Pain Behind My Knee When Walking Up Or Down The Stairs What Should I Do
The act of walking up and down stairs involves straightening the knee whilst it is bearing weight, and the the most common cause of pain in this case is chondromalacia patella. This condition is brought about by the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap deteriorating and softening. Some people can ignore the condition, but in the end it will probably need to be surgically addressed. It may be that a flap of cartilage has become unstable, in which case it can be treated by a chondroplasty, repairing the damaged cartilage using keyhole surgery.
Cold/heat Treatment For Arthritis Pain
Applying cold and heat to inflamed joints may help with arthritis pain. Research on the efficacy of cold and heat treatments has been inconsistent.
Ice helps to restrict blood vessels. This reduces fluid in the tissue and decreases swelling and pain. Wrap ice in a towel and apply to the aching area for up to 20 minutes. You can ice your joints several times a day.
Heat treatments can be applied in the same way. Use a hot water bottle or heating pad and apply it to the swelling. Heat opens the blood vessels and increases circulation. This brings in nutrients and proteins that are essential to repairing the compromised tissue.
Heat and ice treatments can be used in combination. Talk to your doctor about what might work best for your needs.
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
If you are unsure of the cause of your symptoms, or if you do not know how to treat your condition, you should contact your healthcare provider. Your treatment will depend on the specific cause of your calf pain.
Some signs that you should be seen by a healthcare provider include:
- Inability to walk comfortably on the affected side
- Injury that causes deformity of the lower leg
- Calf pain that occurs at night or while resting
- Calf pain that persists beyond a few days
- Swelling of the calf or ankle joint area
- Signs of an infection, including fever, redness, warmth
- Any other unusual symptoms
Meniscus Tears And Pain Behind Your Knee
Root tearsof the meniscus are prevalent. The root of a meniscus is where the meniscus attaches to the shin bone or tibia. Much like a tree roots into the ground, the meniscus has a firm, deep attachment to your bones as well.;
Sadly, over the years, these attachment points or roots can weaken.; A common story is that you bent down or knelt and felt a pop in the back of the knee. ;Later that day or two days later, your knee is swollen, and the pain is very severe.; The root of the meniscus tore in this situation because it had degenerated from decades of activity.;
The pain from root tears often subsides over the next few weeks to months. By the time you see a doctor, and they order an MRI, the pain is often starting to improve. ;This post below goes into far more detail about;root tears as the cause of pain in the back of your knee.;;
The meniscus is a shock absorber.; When the root of the meniscus tears, the meniscus no longer works as a shock absorber.; Therefore, following a root tear, you may develop stress fractures or stress reactions.; That is why the pain worsens a few days after you felt the pop.
On some occasions, we need to consider surgery to repair these root tears but this is not usually necessary.
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Pain Tenderness Warm Or Red Skin Or A Swelling Behind The Knee
May be the indication of a blood clot;in the popliteal vein. This is also called a thrombosis, and the block would restrict the circulation of blood in your leg. More importantly a clot could form an aneurysm, which is an abnormal bulging in the vein walls, and could lead to a pulmonary embolism. If you suspect you have a blood clot it is imperative that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Your body can eventually break up small clots, but you may be sent for a CT scan to investigate the blood clot and given a prescription for blood-thinning medication.
If You Feel A Popping Or Cracking Sensation Behind Your Kneecap:
If this sensation occurs during a knee injury – you most likely tore your meniscus. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in your knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint. This type of tear is very common in contact sports like football and non-contact sports that require jumping and cutting like volleyball. Other symptoms include pain in the knee, swelling, difficulty bending your knee, pain behind your knee when straightening your leg, or a tendency for your knee to lock or get stuck.
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If You Have Pain Behind Your Knee After Sitting:
It is likely you are experiencing a symptom of Chondromalacia Patellae. This is the most common cause of chronic knee pain. Chondromalacia; Patellae is caused by your patella being pulled to the outer side of your femur, rather than in a straight line. This will cause discomfort when you stand up from sitting in a chair for a long period of time. In order to prevent this at work, taking microbreaks will help to keep your body loose. You may also feel discomfort after physical activity or a tightness or fullness in the knee area.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
The posterior cruciate ligament is the ACLs partner. Its another band of tissue that connects your thighbone to your shinbone and supports your knee. However, the PCL isnt as likely to get injured as the ACL.
You can injure the PCL if you take a hard blow to the front of your knee, such as in a car accident. Sometimes injuries occur from twisting the knee or missing a step while walking.
Stretching the ligament too far causes a strain. With enough pressure, the ligament can tear into two parts.
Along with pain, a PCL injury causes:
- swelling of the knee
- trouble walking
- weakness of the knee
Rest, ice, and elevation can help a PCL injury heal faster. You might need surgery if youve injured more than one ligament in your knee, have symptoms of instability, or you also have cartilage damage.
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Pain Behind The Knee: Common Causes And Treatments
Have you ever been standing at barbecue or party and felt you needed to sit down due to an aching pain behind your knee?
Have you ever been sitting at a movie theater and felt a sharp shooting pain behind your knee that distracted you from enjoying the movie?
Pain directly behind the knee is very common but can be misdiagnosed due to the amount of muscles, tendons, and tissues that reside there. ; Likely, you have searched the Google trying to find information on what could possibly be causing the pain behind your knee only to find scary and intimidating causes such as deep vein thrombosis or posterior cruciate ligament tear.
These are potential causes you want to pay attention to if you have had recent surgery, take blood thinners due to previous clotting, or had recent trauma to your knee. ;In these specific cases the course of action would be to call your doctor for a speedy appointment.
How about the majority of other cases though where the knee pain began without a know cause?
In this article we will explore the most common causes for pain in the back of the knee, but first lets peer into the anatomy of the back of the knee.
Bakers Cyst And Pain In The Back Of The Knee
A;Bakers cyst is a fluid-filled pocket in the back of the knee. Bakers cysts are a common cause of painful swelling. ;If the cysts are small, they do not create much discomfort. ;
A Bakers cyst can grow larger. If a cyst becomes large, it can put pressure on the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves behind the knee and can cause discomfort. ;Most people with a Bakers Cyst will also have osteoarthritis. ;
In most instances, treatments to diminish the swelling associated with arthritis will help reduce the pain and swelling from the cyst. ;In the majority of cases, these cysts are not dangerous. ;An ultrasound can usually tell if you have a simple cyst versus something more complex that warrants further evaluation with an MRI. ;If the Bakers cysts are huge, then one treatment alternative is to have the fluid drained. ;While that will result in relief of pain, the fluid might come back again.
Read more about a Bakers cyst.;
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What Causes Pain Behind The Knee When Bending
The most common cause of pain behind the knee when bending is a Bakers Cyst. This is when there is inflammation of the semimembranosus bursa, a small sac filled with fluid that sits at the back of the knee.
If the bursa gets inflamed, then any time you bend your knee, the bursa gets squashed, causing posterior knee pain.
A Swelling At The Back Of The Knee And Calf Causing Pain And A Feeling Of Tightness When Straightening The Leg
This may be due to a Bakers Cyst, which is an accumulation of synovial fluid in the popliteal fossa. The synovial fluid is over-produced, due often to a trauma to the knee or in conditions such as arthritis. The cyst may clear up on its own, but if not it is advisable to visit the doctor. Swelling in the knee joint due to extra synovial fluid being produced also occurs due to accidental damage;to the knee or when osteoarthritis;is present.
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If You Feel Pain Behind Your Knee When Bending Or Squatting:
You may be feeling a symptom of Patellar Tendonitis . This is caused by repetitive activity like kicking, jumping or running. The repetitive exercise puts a lot of strain on the tendon resulting in tiny tears and inflammation along the patellar tendon. Other symptoms include pain just below the kneecap, pain with any pressure to the knee, aching and stiffness after activity, knee stiffness in the morning and thickening of the patellar tendon.
Calf Or Hamstring Strain Or Cramp
Sudden activity and overuse are two leading causes of pain behind the knee due to a calf or hamstring strain or cramp, according to Dr. Tanaka. Movements that require pushing off or severe knee bending cause this calf and hamstring pain, respectively. Both can be managed with ice, rest, gentle stretching, and anti-inflammatories; however, one should seek care if there is swelling or persistent pain associated with this to rule out blood clots, Dr. Tanaka says. Dr. Lyons adds that although an orthopedist could treat this, if you cant bear weight on the knee or are at risk of falling, then its time to go to the emergency room. Heres what else could be causing pain in your calf.
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Pain Behind Your Knee From Popliteal Cysts Or Baker’s Cyst
This is a fluid-filled cyst that creates a bulge on the back of your knee or the area specifically called the popliteal fossa. This occurs when a problem with your join causes your knee to produce too much fluid. Any type of condition that causes joint swelling can lead to a popliteal cyst.;
Symptoms of a popliteal cyst:
- Swelling behind knee and leg
- Knee pain
-
- Muscle imbalance between adductors and abductors
- Repeated stress on knee joints
Why Am I Getting Pain At The Back Of My Knee
Published on: 4th February 2020
When it comes to knee pain, we often tend to think first of the front and sides. But pain that comes from the back of the knee is probably every bit as common.
It would be helpful if there was a single likely reason for this! But in fact the causes of back-of-knee pain can be very diverse. You could experience it as a sudden pain or a gradual ache. There may be swelling and inflammation or none at all. You might find it difficult to fully extend your leg.
In other words we need to do some narrowing down to find out whats going on. One useful starting point is to think in terms of problems inside or outside the knee joint: in medical-speak, intra- or extra-articular causes. Lets have a look at the most common ones.
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What Other Symptoms Might Occur With Behind Knee Pain
Behind knee pain often occurs along with other symptoms that vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. These symptoms include swelling or , inflammation and redness, soreness, or . If you are experiencing other symptoms along with your behind knee pain, be sure to tell your health care provider. This additional information can help your doctor make a diagnosis.
Dvt: Deep Vein Thrombosis Can Cause Pain In The Back Of Your Knee And Calf
Deep vein thrombosis or DVT can cause pain in the back of your knee but the pain is not often isolated to the back of the knee. There is usually calf pain, calf swelling and perhaps thigh pain too.;; A DVT is not a common cause of pain and swelling, but I list it first because it can be a worrisome cause of pain.;
Usually, the pain from a DVT will also occur in the back of your calf or your inner thigh. ;While not impossible, the pain can be isolated to just the back of your knee. ;Most people with a DVT will also have swelling in their calf or leg.; In people who are obese, swelling of the leg is not uncommon so swelling alone does not mean you have a DVT.;;
People who are at risk for a DVT include people who are obese, have cancer, chronic diseases, and those of you who recently traveled and sat still for hours/days while recovering from illness, injury, or surgery.; We do not know the exact incidence of people walking around with a DVT.; People who recently had surgery are at an increased risk for a DVT. ;If your calf is tender and swollen and the back of your knee hurts, you need to see your doctor urgently or go to an emergency room.;
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