Tendon And Muscle Injuries Causing Pain Behind Knee
Tendon injuries often occur in runners due to overload. The tendons most likely to be affected include the hamstring on the inside or outside . Rarely, a small tendon called the popliteus wrapping around the outside of the knee joint can become swollen and painful.
In addition, hamstring muscle tears can occur close to the outside of the knee. Usually, these tears occur about 5cm above the knee joint. It is important to define the exact location of the tear, as location determines the time to return to sport.
Finally, a pulled calf muscle near the knee can also cause pain in this area.
Why Should You Massage Yourself
Trigger points and muscle tension dont just disappear by themselves. Its just the opposite. If theyre not treated, they will stay for a long time and can cause problems that are more or less severe in this case it concerns pain behind the knee.
You can, however, massage the trigger points out of your muscles and normalise the tension in them.
The only thing you have to do is show your nervous system where there is too much tension. You do this by applying pressure to the areas in question.
This will lead to the reduction of tension and alleviate your painprovided, of course, you do the massage regularly!
Its not as complicated as it may sound. Just try it out.
First, a bit of information about your massage to make sure you get results.
- Massage yourself daily, until your pain is gone completely.
- Focus exclusively on the painful spots in your muscles. Dont work on the surrounding tissue. If the massage is too painful, simply apply less pressure.
- On the pain scale from 1 to 10, you should be situated between 4 and 7.
What Can A Professional Do
- A professional practitioner will fully assess your injury and refer you for imaging if required.
- Deep tissue sports massage to the muscle along with ultrasound therapy may be beneficial.
- A full rehabilitation program to strengthen both the quadriceps and the hamstrings should be undertaken.
- A doctor may prescribe NSAIDs or anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen if necessary and for persistent or severe cases a corticosteroid injection may be used if the above treatment fails.
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Whats A Typical Treatment Plan
Treatment depends on the severity of your injury.
Conservative measures to reduce pain, rest your leg, and stretch and strengthen your leg muscles are generally the first line of treatment. Your doctor will usually advise a period of controlled rest, where you avoid activity that puts force on the knee.
Taping Or Bracing Patellar Tendonitis
Taping or use of a patellar tendon strap brace has often provided significant relief to athletes, although the success is quite variable. The precise mechanism of action is unknown, but it is believed that taping or bracing alters the angle and direction of stress at the site of injury, effectively unloading this region and decreasing the pain by distributing forces away from the tendon. A Chopat strap has been specifically used to unload the patellar tendon for both patellar tendonitis and Osgood-Schlatters Disease.
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What Is Hamstring Tendonitis
The hamstring muscle group includes two inner, or medial, muscles. These muscles are known as the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. Theres also an outer, or lateral, muscle the bicep femoris. Tendons, a type of connective tissue, attach these muscles to the pelvis, knee, and shinbones, and allow the knee to flex and the hip to extend.
When hamstring tendons are overused or misused, tiny tears occur, causing inflammation and pain.
Cases of hamstring tendonitis can be lateral or medial depending on the muscles involved. They can also be described as distal, involving the tendons around the:
- knee
- back thigh
- calf
Tendon inflammation is technically called tendinitis, but popular use of tendonitis has made the terms interchangeable. Tendonitis is often confused with tendinosis, a chronic condition caused by repetitive overuse or injury.
The most common symptoms of hamstring tendonitis include:
- sharp, burning pain
Common Causes Of Pain Behind Knee
Where do we start with making an accurate diagnosis?
Generally, most doctors use a methodological process to confirm or rule out causes. Firstly, we perform a thorough assessment to test the joints, ligaments, and tendons that pass across the back of the knee. Then, we consider imaging to confirm our thinking. X-rays often pick up major arthritis in the knee. MRI can detect soft tissue problems such as tendonitis or muscle tear. Occasionally, we perform other tests such as blood, ultrasound, or nerve studies depending on the presentation.
Generally, the more common causes of pain behind the knee include:
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Pain Behind The Kneecap: Causes
Other causes that can lead to pain behind the knee include:
- Having flat feet.
- Poor bone alignment, also known as poor alignment of the patellofemoral joint.
- When there is stiffness or weakness in the muscles of the thigh, both anterior and posterior.
- Overloaded exercises like running, jumping, skiing or playing soccer.
- Cartilage injuries.
- Dislocation of the kneecap .
- A clamping of the inner lining of the knee that causes it to move.
For more about treating pain behind the knee, we recommend taking a look at our following article:
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What Is The Prognosis For A Knee Injury
The goal for treating knee injuries is to return the patient to their previous level of activity. The prognosis for an individual injury depends upon the type of injury, the underlying health of the patient, and their willingness to work with their care provider and therapist to maximize their outcome.
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Physical Therapy For Tendonitis Of The Knee
Physical therapy can often relieve pain and inflammation from tendonitis of the knee.
Initial treatment is to restrict activities causing tendon pain. The time and degree of activity restriction depends on the severity and length of time symptoms have been present.
During the period of rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication are recommended as well as physical therapy to improve joint range of motion and muscle flexibility.
Once pain is reduced and range of motion/flexibility is restored, exercises to strengthen the tendon and muscles of the lower leg are started.
Once range of motion/flexibility/strength are maximized and symmetric to the other side, education is given to gradually return to activities and manage symptoms.
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How Is A Kneecap Tendon Tear Diagnosed
Your consultant will discuss your symptoms with you and examine your knee to check for tenderness, stiffness, swelling and any difficulties with movement. In most cases, they will arrange for you to have an X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging and/or ultrasound scan to show the extent of the tear and any damage to the surrounding area.
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Restore Normal Muscle Length
Tightness in the calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps muscles can contribute to tendon overload. So we will stretch these muscles. If your tendons are easily irritated you need to be careful with the quadriceps stretch. Skip it if necessary.
Ive also recorded a video on how well stretching works for patellar tendonitis, based on feedback from participants of my Tough Tendons course. Here are the results:
With these first two steps we can take some stress off the tendon, but to make it strong enough for sports we need to do more.
Arthritis Of The Knee Causing Pain Behind Knee
Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain behind the knee. Typically, arthritis causes bone spurs leading to inflammation at the back of the knee. Often, you feel tight and restricted in the movement of the knee joint.
Generally, the best form of treatment for knee arthritis is exercise and load management. Also, wearing a knee sleeve can help. Occasionally, we use injection therapy to help with arthritis such as cortisone or platelet-rich plasma.
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Pain Behind The Knee: Causes Symptoms And Treatment
Do you suffer from pain behind the kneecap? It is common to suffer from bad knees, especially if you are an athlete, elderly or do a lot of sport. The area behind the knee, if not treated correctly, can injure easily. There are several types of injuries and conditions which can affect the general knee area. Pain can manifest in one area but only appear in another. Therefore, it is important to know where the pain is coming from so that you can treat it accordingly.
Do you experience pain behind the knee when bending? How about pain behind the knee when running? For more about its pain behind the knee causes, symptoms and prevention, keep reading here at OneHOWTO.
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Diagnosis For Knee Tendonitis
Knee tendonitis is diagnosed in a medical exam with your orthopedic or sports medicine doctor. Your doctor will take a full medical history to understand your normal activity level, the kind of sports you play, and your symptoms and when they occur. They will then go over some remedies that reduce the pain.
Your doctor will examine your knee, putting pressure on it to see where it hurts, and testing to see how well it moves. The doctor may also order an x-ray, MRI, or ultrasound to determine if there is severe damage to the bones or tendons.
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Can Patellar Tendonitis Lead To A Tendon Tear
Yes. Patellar tendon tears are acute injuries that happen suddenly. In some cases, repeated overuse over a long time can cause the patellar tendon tissue to abruptly tear.
Patellar tendon tears often happen when you land from a jump or suddenly change direction while running. A rip may go partway or all the way through tendon tissue.
Recovery From Tendonitis In The Knee
Recovery from patellar tendonitis depends upon the severity of your case. The longer you continue your normal routine before treatment, the longer your recovery will be.
It is also important to follow your physician and physical therapists instructions completely in order to get back to your routine as quickly as possible.
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Massaging The Areas On The Side Of Your Calf: Gastrocnemius
For this massage, I recommend you use the thumb technique.
Sit down on a chair with your foot flat on the floor and press into the muscles on the side of the calf the inner side as well as the outer and search for painful areas.
As soon as you find one, massage over it no more than 15 times from the bottom upward.
The picture to your right will help you find these areas. Should you have any difficulties, please refer to my video above.
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.
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How Is A Kneecap Tendon Tear Treated
- Non-surgical treatment includes wearing a knee brace to immobilise the knee for three to six weeks along with a course of physiotherapy. Your consultant may also advise that you have a course of shockwave therapy, a painless procedure where shockwaves are passed into the injured part of the knee to help speed up the healing process. In some cases, Activated Mesenchymal Pericyte Plasma injections can also help with healing
- Surgery: most people need to have tendon repair surgery in order to regain their normal range of movement and stability. This involves reattaching the torn tendon to the kneecap. The sooner this is carried out after an injury, the higher the success rate. Most people can return to their previous activities after surgery, although complete recovery can take 6-12 months
How Do You Stretch The Tendon Behind Your Knee
1. Lying hamstring stretch
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How Is Patella Tendinopathy Treated
You may need to have treatment over a long period of time to recover completely. Your consultant will be able to discuss your options with you, which may include:
- Intensive physiotherapy
- Activated Mesenchymal Pericyte Plasma injections
- Shockwave therapy, a painless procedure where shockwaves are passed into the injured part of the knee to help speed up the healing process
If your symptoms dont improve, in some cases you may need to have knee tendon repair surgery.
What Are Potential Complications
If you dont have medical treatment, patellar tendonitis can worsen. You may damage your tendon more severely, limiting your everyday functioning.
Resting your legs and stopping activity can be emotionally difficult for athletes, in particular. They may not want to stop playing, even though its painful. For professional athletes, patellar tendonitis can be a career-ender if left untreated.
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Why Is The Back Of My Knee Swollen
Generally, swelling at the back of the knee is due to a Bakers cyst. However, Bakers cysts are not usually painful. If you experience severe pain and swelling behind the knee, then you must see your doctor. Sometimes, large Bakers cysts can become painful. Other causes include DVT or popliteal aneurysms.
Pain Behind The Knee: Common Causes And Treatments
Experiencing pain anywhere in your body is never pleasant, but if you are fit and active, it can be a real block to your progress and success. The back of the knee is a common area for many athletes and individuals to feel pain. The knee is a complex joint, and one that takes a lot of stress on a daily basis.
Even simple, non-strenuous everyday activities can place a lot of impact on the knee, and causes can range from serious injuries, requiring immediate medical attention, to more common, mundane sources.
Similarly, the range of treatment options available varies depending on the exact nature of the issue in many cases, damage to the knee can be reduced, or even prevented entirely, simply by avoiding excess strain and impact around and on the joint.
In most cases, the earlier the treatment is received, the better the result, and the less likely it is that the injury will worsen and become more serious.
There are a number of potential causes of knee injuries, and we will explore some of these in greater detail below.
It is important to note, however, that you should seek advice from your doctor, or another medical professional if you are suffering from a knee injury, as some causes can require a course of long-term treatment if you want them to heal completely, and avoid future damage or injury. Some of the most common causes include:
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What Are The Types And Causes Of Knee Injuries
While direct blows to the knee will occur, the knee is more susceptible to twisting or stretching injuries , taking the joint through a greater range of motion than it was meant to tolerate.
If the knee is stressed from a specific direction, then the ligament trying to hold it in place against that force can stretch or tear. These injuries are called sprains. Sprains are graded as first, second, or third degree based upon how much damage has occurred. Grade-one sprains stretch the ligament but dont tear the fibers grade-two sprains partially tear the fibers, but the ligament remains intact and grade-three tears completely disrupt the ligament.
Twisting injuries to the knee put stress on the cartilage or meniscus and can pinch them between the tibial surface and the edges of the femoral condyle, potentially causing tears.
Injuries of the muscles and tendons surrounding the knee are caused by acute hyperflexion or hyperextension of the knee or by overuse. These injuries are called strains. Strains are graded similarly to sprains, with first-degree strains stretching muscle or tendon fibers but not tearing them, second-degree strains partially tearing the muscle tendon unit, and third-degree strains completely tearing it.
There can be inflammation of the bursas of the knee that can occur because of direct blows or chronic use and abuse.
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Everything I Learned Since 2011
Recovering from tendonitis is difficult, especially if you start from scratch. Ive struggled with it myself so I know how easy it is to waste months on conflicting advice only to land back on square one.
Even though Im not a doctor Ive dedicated a huge part of my life to helping people with patellar tendonitis get back into sports. Ive and recently created an in-depth online course.
And Id love to work with you too.
If youre ready to make some real progress, sign up below to get started today.
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