Why Do I Have Pain Behind My Knee

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:

• Muscle imbalance between adductors and abductors
• Repeated stress on knee joints

Blood Clots Behind Knee

It is important to note that pain and swelling behind the knee may be associated with blood clots. Blood clots behind the knee are especially common for those on bed rest or prolonged laying down, recovering from surgery or who have experienced trauma to the knee. Age and weight may also be a factor in blood clots. If you are experiencing behind knee pain, see a doctor to diagnose your situation, especially as you may be experiencing a blood clot behind knee.

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.

Don’t Miss: Is Cycling Good For Arthritic Knees

Knee Pain And Problems

Knee pain is a common complaint among adults and most often associated with general wear and tear from daily activities like walking, bending, standing and lifting. Athletes who run or play sports that involve jumping or quick pivoting are also more likely to experience knee pain and problems. But whether an individuals knee pain is caused by aging or injury, it can be a nuisance and even debilitating in some circumstances.

Burning Pain At The Side Of The Knee

Any kind of knee injury or pain causes alarm. When you feel pain at the side of your knee, you often do not have a knee problem at all.

Your knee is a complicated joint where two major bones and sets of muscles meet. If either of those two sets of muscles is injured, then your knee will hurt as a result. The muscles stabilize that joint, so a compromised muscle also compromises the joint.

Your IT band or iliotibial band is a band of connective tissue that runs from your hip to your knee and shin. When the band is tight from exercise, it will rub against your thigh bone, causing friction and pain down to your knee.

Sometimes you will feel the pain from your hip to your knee. Sometimes you just feel pain on the side of your knee.

IT band syndrome;or ITBS is a common;problem among individuals who fail to stretch before they exercise or individuals who do too much too soon. For example, if you’ve never ridden a bicycle for more than five miles and attempt to ride fifty miles in a day, you may end up with a sore IT band, and the outside of your knee will burn.

Read Also: What Do They Inject In Your Knee For Pain

What Is Behind Knee Pain

Behind knee pain is discomfort or soreness behind the knee joint. It may occur with or without movement and can be severe enough to limit movement. People may describe behind knee pain as discomfort, inflammation, increased warmth or burning, soreness, stiffness, or pain.

Behind is a common sign of a Bakers cyst, which is a buildup of synovial fluid behind the knee. Synovial fluid lubricates the joints and reduces friction between the joint cartilages. The symptoms associated with a tend to come and go, and the condition will not cause any long-term damage to the knee.

However, behind knee pain may be a symptom of deep vein thrombosis , which is a serious and life-threatening condition. The can break loose and cause a pulmonary in the lung, a heart attack, or even stroke. Deep vein thrombosis has similar symptoms to a Bakers cyst.

If you experience pain behind the knee and calf with painful swelling and bruises, seek immediate emergency medical care. If your symptoms persist or cause you concern, contact a medical professional.

Pain Behind Knee After Total Knee Replacemnet

Wicca1971

I had total knee replacement in my right knee almost 10 weeks ago. It’s been a roller coaster ride and I had to have knee manipulation done last week to that knee because it wasn’t bending enough. Now I am experiencing a new pain that is making me very nervous and is making my pt difficult to do. I am getting a sharp pain behind my knee on the inner part of the knee. Its so bad that I can’t straighten my leg fully because it feels like something is going to snap. My physical therapist said I pulled something in the back of the knee because I’m not walking properly which is putting strain on the back of the knee. After pt it felt a bit better because they worked on the muscle behind the knee but it prevented me from having a good pt session as far as bending my knee. I woke up this morning and the knee felt fine until I went on my indoor bike and hurt the back of the knee again. I couldn’t do anything for the rest of the day because it was so painful. It hurt to walk, to sit, to straighten my leg, and to bend it, Has anyone experienced this and if so, how did you get through it?

0 likes, 6 replies

Also Check: Knees Crack When I Squat

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.

What Can Cause Knee Pain Without Injury

Most people assume that their knee pain isnt severe or in need of medical attention because they havent suffered a significant injury. While that may be true sometimes, damage to your knee joint can also occur slowly over time, and affect you just as much as a significant accident or injury can.

First, lets stop with assumptions. Any pain you are experiencing is a sign that something is not right. So, why not have a specialist take a look? With extensive imaging, a trained orthopedic specialist can get to the bottom of your nagging knee pain and try to help relieve some of that distress. If you havent suffered an injury, however, your doctor will want to diagnose the pain and possible causes. There are some more common causes for non-trauma related knee pain:

Arthritis

Either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis can cause leave you with severe knee pain, even without a fall or injury. Osteoarthritis can be characterized by the pain and swelling you continue to feel as you age. Your joints are not indestructible, and the structure inevitably wears down over time. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a chronic disorder that also causes joints to swell. If you suspect RA is behind your knee pain, you might have pain in other joints, as well.

A tear

Bursitis

Tendonitis

You May Like: How To Shower After Knee Surgery

When To See A Doctor

If you are experiencing chronic pain or pain more associated with serious injury, see your doctor promptly. Not addressing your pain properly can lead to increased pain, joint damage, and disability. Depending on the cause of your knee pain, your doctor may suggest the following treatments:

• Medications: Your doctor may prescribe medications to help relieve pain in the back of the knee and swelling and treat underlying conditions like arthritis.
• Physical therapy: Your doctor may prescribe stretching exercises or a physical therapy/rehabilitation program to help you restore range of motion, strength and stability to your knee.
• Injections: In some situations, your doctor may suggest injecting medications and other substances directly into the knee joint in order to reduce inflammation, lubricate the knee and promote healing.
• Surgery: If conservative measures do not provide relief, your doctor may recommend surgical options.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

The anterior cruciate ligament is a band of tissue that runs through the front of your knee joint. It connects your thighbone to your shinbone and helps stabilize and provide movement to your knee.

Most ACL injuries happen when you slow down, stop, or change direction suddenly while running. You can also strain or tear this ligament if you land a jump wrong, or you get hit in a contact sport like football.

You might feel a pop when the injury happens. Afterward, your knee will hurt and swell up. You might have trouble fully moving your knee and feel pain when you walk.

Rest and physical therapy can help an ACL strain heal. If the ligament is torn, youll often need surgery to fix it. Heres what to expect during ACL reconstruction.

Recommended Reading: Do Copper Knee Braces Really Work

If The Back Of Your Knee Hurts While Running Or Walking:

This could be a symptom of hamstring tendonitis. The hamstring tendon connects the hamstring muscle to the outer aspect of the knee. This is caused by overuse in running or jumping or insufficient warm-up exercises. If you are an individual who has just started working out or increased your level of fitness, you are at risk for this injury. Pain can be felt when putting strain on the muscle or tendon.

What Is The Pain Behind The Knee

As the name indicates, the pain behind the knee is an ache behind your kneecap or in the joint. Pain can start after sudden, uncomfortable movement, overuse of the muscular tissue, injuries such as fractures or twists, and medical conditions like arthritis or infection. You can sense the pain as sharp and severe or mild and dull. In addition, you may feel inflammation or swelling, and you may be unable to extend your leg.;

In the beginning, you may only experience mild symptoms, but if you ignore them and dont treat them properly, the pain will become worse, and you may develop chronic pain over time.;

Some of the common symptomsto identify posterior knee pain may include aching knee, audible snap in the knee, rapid swelling, bruising, burning pain, impact to the knee, instability, knee joint pain, pain when kneeling, running or sitting, kneecap pain, swollen or twisted knee.

See also: CBD Oil for Pain Management;

People who are most prone to experience all sorts of knee pain are athletes. However, according to medical data, women are even more likely to experience knee pain than men. Also, its common for older people to suffer from knee pain because of osteoarthritis.

Now when we have defined the pain behind the knee, lets see what the possible causes are.

Don’t Miss: How To Pop Your Knee

Muscle And Tendon Conditions

The shallow depression formed at the back of the knee is called the popliteal fossa; it is formed at the junction of the femur and tibia. There is a muscle here on the floor of the popliteal fossa which is the deepest muscle of the knee joint. It works on the femur to rotate it on the tibia when walking. Through the popliteal depression a bundle of muscles run from the pelvis to the knee and attach to the tibia and fibula respectively by tendons. These three muscles are collectively called the hamstring muscles, and function to extend the leg and bend the knee.

At the back of the lower leg the calf muscles are composed of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles which flex the leg at the knee and flex the ankle via the achilles tendon.

How Do You Know If You Have A Blood Clot Behind Your Knee

A blood clot in the veins of your lower leg is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT. You may have a blood clot behind your knee if you have one-sided leg swelling, pain, warmth, and redness below the knee. Sometimes these clots can occur on both sides at once, but this is uncommon. Some blood clots in the legs, however, do not present with any symptoms. A DVT requires immediate treatment to reduce the risk of embolizing to the lungs.

You May Like: Do Copper Braces Work

Symptoms Of Pain Behind The Knee

Since several conditions can cause pain behind the knee, the symptoms can vary. The most common symptoms include:

Varying types of pain

The pain can be sharp, dull, or burning. It may come on suddenly or gradually. It may be constant, or it may occur when you put weight on the leg or when you bend the knee. This information can help a doctor diagnose your knee problem.

Swelling or stiffness

The knee may look swollen or misshapen. You may be unable to bend the knee, or your knee may pop, lock up, or collapse when you put weight on it. These symptoms usually indicate that you have sustained an injury, but there are other possibilities as well.

Redness or warmth

Under certain circumstances, the back of your knee could feel hot to the touch, or redness could be visible. You might also have a fever. These symptoms would point to a different cause than if you only have pain.

What Causes Sharp Burning Pain In The Knee

Before you identify the cause of sharp burning pain, you need to identify the pain and the location. What does burning pain in the knee mean?

It means that your pain does not just generally ache. You have a sharp, burning sensation in the front, on the side, or on the back of your knee. You can have it while you’re kneeling, while you’re just standing still, and even when you’re sleeping.

You May Like: Is Nano Knee Covered By Medicare

What Are Some Common Knee Problems

Many knee problems are a result of the aging process and continual wear and stress on the knee joint . Other knee problems are a result of an injury or a sudden movement that strains the knee. Common knee problems include the following:

ACL Tears in Female Athletes: Q&A with a Sports Medicine Expert

Sports injury prevention isn’t a one-stop shop, especially for injuries like ACL tears, which are four to eight times more common among women than men. Discover ways for women to help prevent this common injury.

A Sudden Severe Pain Or Popping Sound Accompanied By Swelling And A Feeling Of Looseness Of The Joint And Instability

This may be due to damage to one of the knee ligaments, and is commonly seen as a result of sports injuries concerned with a sudden impact, twisting ;or over stretching. If the ligament is torn or twisted it is a sprain . If you suspect a damaged ligament you should comply with the RICE procedure, but not immobilise the joint as there is a risk of stiffness and possible muscle atrophy. The injury should be clinically assessed, and may need surgery.

You May Like: How Much Is Total Knee Replacement Surgery

What Are The Symptoms Of Patellar Tendonitis

Pain and tenderness at the base of your kneecap are usually the first symptoms of patellar tendonitis. You may also have some swelling and a burning feeling in the kneecap. Kneeling down or getting up from a squat can be especially painful.

The pain may at first be sporadic, occurring only after sports or exercise activity. As the tendon becomes more damaged, the pain can become progressively worse. It can interfere with any athletic activity, as well as with daily activities, such as climbing stairs or sitting in a car.

See your doctor if any pain or swelling lasts more than a day or two.

At the start of your appointment, your doctor will ask about:

• your physical activity
• what symptoms youre experiencing
• when the symptoms occur
• any remedy youve tried that eases the pain

Your doctor will physically examine your knee, probe for where you feel pain, and test your range of knee motion by bending and extending your leg.

Your doctor may also order imaging tests to look at your kneecap and tendon to determine if theres any damage to the tendon or bone. These tests can also help rule out other possible causes of your pain, such as a fracture.

Your doctor may perform:

• an X-ray to look at the bone to determine whether you have a kneecap fracture or if your kneecap is displaced
• an MRI to look at the tendon and show any damage to the soft tissue
• an ultrasound to look at the tendon and show any soft tissue damage

Treatment And Prevention Tips For Pain Behind The Knee

When you experience knee pain that doesnt go away within a day or two, you should seriously consider health care. Here are a few tips on protecting your knee in situations where you might have a minor knee injury or experience reoccurring knee problems.

• Avoid activities that cause pain
• Apply ice
• Keep knee raised to bring down any swelling
• Sleep with a pillow underneath or between your knees
• Avoid running up and down stairs walk carefully
• Dont forget to warm up before exercising or engaging in sports
• When you run, do it on smooth, soft surfaces instead of rough pavement
• Swim instead of running
• If you are overweight, consider ways to lose a few pounds
• Make sure you wear well-made running shoes
• Consider shoe inserts for better arch support

Also Check: Arthroscopic Knee Surgery Scars