Reasons, Symptoms and Treatment for Pain at the Back of your Knee

Your knees have many moving parts that are often used a lot. Overusing this joint can cause injuries. Even simple wear and tear can cause trouble as you age. When your knee begins to hurt, …

Your knees have many moving parts that are often used a lot. Overusing this joint can cause injuries. Even simple wear and tear can cause trouble as you age. When your knee begins to hurt, you might not perform basic daily tasks, such as getting up from a seated position or walking. It’s even worse if the pain in your knees is persistent. But rest assured, as this blog will address why you experience knee pain and ways to alleviate it.

Reasons for Pain at the Back of Your Knee

The knee is the largest joint in your body. It carries your entire weight when you walk, run, and jump. This joint is also the most complicated and vulnerable to injury. If you experience pain at the back of your knee, it might be due to one of the following reasons:

  • Calf strain or injury
  • Hamstring strain or injury
  • Muscle cramps
  • Arthritis
  • Meniscus tear
  • Jumper’s knee or Patellar tendonitis
  • Posterior cruciate ligament or PCL injury
  • Anterior cruciate ligament or ACL injury

Symptoms of Back Knee Pain

Your knee is a complex joint consisting of bones and muscles surrounding the knee in tendons and ligaments. Muscles surrounding your knee are among the most powerful muscles in the body. Sometimes, these muscles themselves cause pain. A muscle cramp is a common reason why most people experience pain at the back of their knees. This is because a leg cramp may involve calves or hamstrings present at the back of your knee. This pain is not permanent and can quickly reside as the cramp subsides.

But sometimes, you might experience injury or inflammation near your knee because of a tendon. You can also pull or injure the bicep femoris or your hamstring muscle. Its symptoms include swelling, weakness, and pain in the back of your knee or leg. But you will likely experience stiffness in your joints instead of weakness if the pain is due to meniscus tear or arthritis.

Treatment for Common Back Knee Pain

  • In most cases, your doctor may treat your knee pain by using the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) method.
  • Rest is essential for healing tissues. So if you experience knee pain, avoid using the joint and take a good rest.
  • Ice will help relieve pain and reduce swelling. You can use ice and wrap it in a towel.
  • Then, apply it to the affected area for 15 minutes at a time.
  • Compression is useful in reducing swelling and providing some pain relief. Wrap the knee in a compression bandage with moderate tightness.
  • Elevation can help improve circulation to your leg and reduce swelling. You may place your leg at an elevated position when you sit or sleep to improve the blood flow in the leg.

Conclusion

If you experience chronic pain at the back of your knee, we welcome you to visit Genesis Pain Clinic. We provide comprehensive pain management services in Overland Park. We also offer diagnostic testing and regenerative medicine that will allow you to live a pain-free life. For more information, call us today at 913-871-9888.