If you suffer from back of knee pain, your first step is to consult your physician or physical therapist for a diagnosis. Your doctor may ask you for specific information about the type of condition you’re suffering from, and they may refer you to an orthopedic (orthopedic surgeon) or physiotherapist who will work with you to develop a treatment plan.
Knee pain behind knee can be caused by a pulled hamstring, torn cartilage, a herniated or damaged patellar tendon, a herniated disc, or a slipped disk. In some cases, you might not even know you have any of these conditions unless you get diagnosed as a result of an MRI or X-rays. If you have sudden, sharp pain behind your knee or thigh, either a sharp, stabbing pain or instability after a severe injury, you could have a torn patellar tendon or a ruptured hamstring.
The treatment of back of knee pain behind knee is basically your same as the treatment of any other type of pain behind your knee. When you start seeing improvement, make sure that you give the condition the proper attention and treatment. The most common recommendation from your doctor is to rest the knee or leg. If the pain has been constant for a long time, it may be necessary to apply ice and/or take anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce the symptoms.
If you are having problems with mobility because of back of knee pain, your doctor will probably recommend an operation. In the surgical procedure, your doctor will remove the damaged tissue in one or both sides of the affected area. Sometimes, surgery may be necessary to repair the structure, but other times the problem is more subtle and can be treated with exercise and/or physical therapy.
The goal of any type of medical treatment for back of knee pain behind knee is to alleviate the symptoms and prevent further injuries from occurring. If you are experiencing a persistent back of knee pain, your physiotherapist or doctor may suggest a series of exercises and/or stretches to help increase flexibility in this area. While most stretches are meant to stretch the muscles around the affected area, some will also help to strengthen and build the muscles in that region, which is very beneficial for athletes.
There are some things that you can do at home to relieve back of knee pain behind knee, too. Try strengthening your muscles in this area through a warm up and cooling down, especially when you feel a pain building in the area. If you’ve just injured a ligament, make sure to warm up before you try to do anything strenuous, such as a jump or drive. Be sure to stretch before, after, and during any type of activity that requires a lot of movement or sudden movements such as lifting heavy objects.
