Pain in the back of the knee
Introduction - Pain in the hollow of the knee
Pain in the hollow of the knee is a common symptom in all age groups. The most common causes include sports injuries and knee joint wear and tear. Leg vein thromboses and herniated discs are rarer, but particularly dangerous or serious.
If the symptoms are so protracted or intense that they lead to a visit to the doctor, the doctor can make a suspicious diagnosis by asking about various circumstances (sports habits of the patient, time of occurrence and exact location of the pain) and through physical function tests, which may be through imaging Procedure must be confirmed.
Is your back knee pain of a pulling quality? Then find out more about:
- Pulling in the hollow of the knee - is that dangerous?
Causes of the back of the knee pain
The possible triggers of pain in the hollow of the knee can be divided into traumatic (injury-related), degenerative (wear-related) and internal (internal causes).
Injury-related causes are the most common triggers of back knee pain in younger patients. The pain usually occurs suddenly and in connection with unfavorable movement in the knee joint, for example during exercise.The more clearly the knee pain is limited to the hollow of the knee, the stronger the suspicion of damage to one or both menisci in the knee joint. At the menisci (Menisci) are buffer discs made of cartilage, which can be affected by twisting or compressing the knee. Depending on the meniscus affected (there is an inner and an outer knee in each knee), the pain is felt at the inner or outer hollow of the knee.
Please also read our topic on this Meniscal tear.
Knee back pain due to wear and tear is more likely to occur in older patients. The most common trigger here is the so-called Baker cyst. This is a bulging of the joint capsule filled with synovial fluid, which can occur with continuous irritation of the knee joint (e.g. due to osteoarthritis or unusually high levels of exercise).
Read our articles on this Knee osteoarthritis and Baker's cyst.
The most important internal cause is the leg vein thrombosis, which is extremely rarely the trigger for back knee pain, but should at least be kept in mind because of its dangerousness. Due to the interplay of various factors (prolonged immobilization, e.g. on an airplane, taking contraceptives, genetic predisposition, etc.), blood coagulates in the leg veins and the hollow of the knee is one of the most common places for this to happen. In the worst case, this clot can can be flushed into the lungs and lead to pulmonary embolism.
Read more about this in our article Thrombosis pain.
Other less common causes of pain in the hollow of the knee are, for example, anatomically induced compression of the popliteal nerve or the popliteal artery, tendinitis of the hamstring muscle or a herniated disc.
Read our articles on this Tendinitis in the hollow of the knee and Symptoms of a herniated disc.
Causes of back knee pain pulling into the calf
Many structures that supply the calf run through the hollow of the knee.
The blood supply from the thigh continues through the popliteal artery (popliteal artery) to the lower leg. If blood clots develop in the vessels, the pain can move from the hollow of the knee to the calf.
Nerves that are responsible for the calf also run through the hollow of the knee and can therefore cause such pain.
The calf muscles also have an attachment point in the hollow of the knee. Overloading or injuries to the hollow of the knee can also affect the calf muscles, which also causes pain that pulls from the hollow of the knee into the calf.
For more information on calf pain, see: Pain in the calf and the hollow of the knee
Causes of pain in the back of the knee after sitting
When sitting, the knee joint is usually bent by around 90 °. Normally this shouldn't cause pain.
However, the structures of the hollow of the knee (especially nerves and vessels) can be kinked by flexion. This can cause pain in the back of the knee. These often occur especially when, for example, the edge of the chair pressed the hollow of the knee while sitting.
Sitting cross-legged can also cause such problems, as the greater flexion in the knee joint also causes greater pressure on the hollow of the knee.
Also read the following article on this topic: Pain when seated
Causes of pain in the back of the knee after exercise
If the pain in the back of the knee occurs after exercise, the cause is often muscular.
Those who are not very well trained can, for example, overuse their muscles through a sudden increase in physical activity. For example, muscle soreness or reactive inflammation of the muscles occurs.
Injuries can also cause pain in the hollow of the knee. Many muscles come together in the hollow of the knee. These are muscles from the calf as well as muscles from the back of the thigh. For example, pain in the hollow of the knee after exercise can be attributable to both the upper and lower legs.
Which injuries can occur during sport? Read also: Sports injuries
Accompanying symptoms of the back of the knee pain
If the pain in the hollow of the knee is due to a traumatic cause, swelling and overheating of the knee often occurs within a short time after the accident. The knee is restricted in its mobility and causes severe pain in the hollow of the knee if the meniscus is damaged, especially when turning.
If a Baker's cyst is the cause of the pain, a bump in the hollow of the knee can usually be felt (in contrast to the traumatic causes, where the swelling tends to encompass the entire knee). Here, too, the mobility of the knee joint can be impeded. The pain tends to develop continuously over a longer period of time and there is no specific accident event that can be remembered as a trigger.
With a leg vein thrombosis, pain in the hollow of the knee and lower leg is usually accompanied by a feeling of pressure. Compared to the other leg, the affected leg may appear thicker, warmer and more reddened. If these observations are available, a doctor must be consulted immediately, who can assess the risk of the presence of a thrombosis based on the patient's history (longer flight, previous illnesses, medication, etc.) and, if necessary, take further diagnostic measures.
In the case of a herniated disc, the pain in the hollow of the knee is more of a secondary finding, as the pain can radiate from the back along the affected nerve to the back of the thigh and even to the hollow of the knee and the lower leg. In more severe cases, in addition to the referred pain, nerve failures can also occur, i.e. paralysis or numbness in the legs or in the pubic area.
Accompanying symptoms of the back of the knee pain: Numbness in the foot
Many structures that supply the feet run through the hollow of the knee. These are both nerves and vessels.
A feeling of numbness can arise, for example, when the blood supply to the foot is no longer guaranteed. If this phenomenon occurs with pain in the hollow of the knee, one should think of an obstruction of the popliteal artery (popliteal artery).
Damage to the nerve that runs through the hollow of the knee can also cause numbness in the foot.
At this point it is advisable to read our main page on the topic: Deafness - What's Behind It?
Accompanying symptoms of the back of the knee pain: Numbness in the leg
The numbness of the leg is similar to that of the foot. The lower leg is usually affected, as the vessels and nerves that supply the lower leg have to pass through the hollow of the knee.
In the case of nerve damage, the so-called sensitive nerve fibers can be affected. These send information about touch, temperature, pressure, and pain to the brain. If this connection is broken, the leg feels numb.
Reduced blood flow from a blood clot in the artery can also cause numbness. Those who sit cross-legged for a long time are familiar with the numbness and tingling sensation in their legs. This is probably due to a strong kinking of the nerves and vessels in the hollow of the knee.
You can find out more about this process at:
- Nerve Damage - What Are The Consequences?
- Circulatory disorders in the legs
I would be happy to advise you!
Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)
The knee joint is one of the joints with the greatest stress.
Therefore, the treatment of the knee joint (e.g. meniscus tear, cartilage damage, cruciate ligament damage, runner's knee, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of knee diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.
You can find me in:
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Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert
Diagnosis of the back of the knee pain
The search for a diagnosis begins with the anamnese, so a detailed patient consultation. Here, systematic inquiries should be made as to where exactly the pain is, whether accompanying symptoms (such as swelling, restricted mobility, etc.) have been noticed, whether the pain has occurred suddenly or continuously and how severe the regular physical strain is.
If a leg vein thrombosis is suspected, clarification of the triggering factors such as prolonged rest (e.g. when traveling by air), nicotine consumption or medication is also very important.
The doctor can often make a suspected diagnosis based on this knowledge.
Depending on the suspicion, further diagnostic steps can be initiated if necessary. A suspected meniscus damage can, for example, through special function tests (Steinmann sign) confirmed and ultimately confirmed or excluded by an MRI scan. Wear-related processes such as Baker's cyst are also subject to this algorithm based on anamnesis, physical examination and, if necessary, subsequent imaging in the form of an ultrasound examination or MRI recordings.
In the case of back pain radiating into the hollow of the knee and the resulting suspicion of a herniated disc, MRI technology is also used. However, an imaging of the spine is carried out here, since this is where the cause lies and the pain in the hollow of the knee also originates there, as the term "radiating" beautifully describes.
In order to rule out a dangerous leg vein thrombosis, the anamnesis is followed by a physical examination during which the doctor pays attention to differences in circumference between the two legs, overheating and reddening of the lower leg. If necessary, an ultrasound examination or a contrast agent X-ray examination of the leg vessels may then be necessary.
Read more about this under MRI of the knee joint, detection of a thrombosis and Diagnosing a herniated disc.
Duration of pain in the hollow of the knee
Due to the many possible causes of pain in the hollow of the knee, it is obvious that no general information on the duration of the pain can be given. Depending on the trigger, some guideline values can still be formulated.
In the event of meniscus injuries caused by an accident, surgical treatment is usually unavoidable. However, this is a relatively minor procedure in which the meniscus is either sewn back together or partially removed. With regard to the rest period following the operation, the surgeon's instructions should be followed, which, however, mostly turn out to be surprisingly short: Often, light running training can be resumed after only 2 weeks and full fitness fitness can be achieved after 4-6 weeks.
Read more about this under Duration of a meniscus tear.
If the cause of the pain is due to wear and tear, the duration of the period of rest is sometimes considerably longer, but has a wide range on an individual basis. In general, it can be said that until the pain has completely disappeared, physical activity should be completely avoided and then only slowly and gradually increased again. If there are concomitant diseases that favor the irritation reaction of the knee joint (e.g. osteoarthritis, older meniscus or ligament tears), consideration should be given to treating them as much as possible and only then resuming sporting activity.
Read more on the subject below Knee osteoarthritis, which sport is advisable?
Pain in the back of the knee when jogging
Pain in the hollow of the knee, which occurs during or after running, is a phenomenon that is described very often, especially among amateur athletes who have recently (re) started an intensive running training. If the pain reliably decreases overnight and is only minimally perceptible or not at all on days when there is no sport, the all-clear can be given first and the pain can be viewed as a simple expression of the unusually high stress on the knee joint. In this case, a temporary reduction in the amount of training can ensure that the symptoms completely disappear, after which the intensity can be gradually increased again.
If the pain persists for weeks despite the same or even reduced amount of training, or if it even gets worse, an inflammation of the tendons in the hollow of the knee is likely. In particular, if the pain is accompanied by knee swelling and overheating, an orthopedic surgeon should be consulted. This can confirm the suspicion and examine whether there are certain concomitant diseases (older meniscus or ligament tears, misalignments of the knee joint, etc.) that make the knee more prone to overuse symptoms.
In principle, it is not advisable to use pain relievers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac to combat the pain in order to be able to maintain the training schedule. The pain in the hollow of the knee is to be regarded as a warning signal from the knee joint, which should be observed. Of course, the above-mentioned painkillers can be used in the event of severe complaints, but this should also mean that the sporting load is greatly reduced or completely suspended for a certain period of time.
Read more about this under Tendonitis in the knee
Pain in the back of the knee after exercising
If pain in the hollow of the knee occurs after exercising, it is necessary to differentiate between overstress caused by the sport or injury to ligament or muscle structures in the hollow of the knee. Often the pain has a harmless cause.
Typical sports that irritate the knee tendons are long-distance running and professional cycling. Both sports are characterized by constant use of the thigh and lower leg muscles, with the knee flexors in particular causing pain in the hollow of the knee when overstrained. But knee injuries also occur again and again when skiing, whereby mostly strains or serious injuries such as meniscus damage do not occur here, but rather strains. Due to the strong leverage when skiing by lengthening the leg through the skis, the menisci in the knee joint can suffer damage on supports in which the knee is twisted. An injury to the menisci then causes pain that radiates into the hollow of the knee. Regardless of whether you have overstrained or injured the hollow of your knee, you should stop exercising immediately and only slowly start training again after the symptoms have healed.
After jogging, pain in the hollow of the knee usually occurs as a result of overloading the so-called Sciocrural muscles on. This is located on the back of the thigh. This muscle group includes the Biceps femoris muscle, of the Semitendinosus muscle as well as the Semimembranosus muscle. Coming from the thigh, all three muscles pull past the outside of the hollow of the knee and start around the head of the lower leg. Thus, they can provide a flexion in the knee joint and are permanently stressed when jogging. The tendons of these muscles may initially be irritated, but if the irritation is severe, inflammation or even rupture of the tendons is possible. From the stage of inflammation, a training break of about 6 weeks must be observed until complete healing has taken place and training can be resumed safely.
After overloading or overstretching the calf, for example, pain in the hollow of the knee can occur after running because the two-headed gastrocnemicus musclethat forms the calf originates in the hollow of the knee. If this muscle is overstretched or not stretched enough after running, it can easily lead to pain in the hollow of the knee after running.
The cause of the complaints can also be triggered by poor footwear or incorrect positioning of the leg axes. In this case, deposits can help. In the acute phase of pain, rest, elevation of the leg and cooling are beneficial.
Also an irritation of the Sciatic nerve can cause pain in the hollow of the knee after running, as the end branches of this nerve run straight through the hollow of the knee. If you stretch your knee too much while running, this can lead to compression and damage to the nerve, especially if you want to start right away as an inexperienced runner.
Pain in the hollow of the knee after long periods of sitting
If pain in the hollow of the knee occurs after sitting for a long time (e.g. on an airplane), this can be the first indication of a leg vein thrombosis. The lower leg of the affected leg then often appears overheated and swollen (see above). The doctor can then assess the risk of such a thrombosis by asking specific questions about other triggering factors and, if necessary, initiate further diagnostic steps.
Read more on the subject below Thrombosis pain
Cartilage damage under the kneecap can be another cause of back knee pain after sitting with the knee bent. Typical for this is that the knee e.g. after long car journeys as a passenger in the back seat or after going to the cinema, when you get up initially feels stiff and painful, but after a few steps the knee "rolls in" and the pain disappears. An orthopedic surgeon can use functional tests to corroborate the suspicion and have imaging measures such as an X-ray or MRI examination confirmed.
Read more about this under Cartilage damage in the knee
Pain in the back of the knee after stretching
If pain in the hollow of the knee occurs after stretching, it may be due to an overload or a strain in the muscle. Most likely there is a strain in that two-headed gastrocnemicus muscle, of Soleus muscle or des Plantaris muscle. These three muscles shape the calf and have their origin in the hollow of the knee. If the muscle is now painfully overstretched or pulled, further stress (in this case after stretching and thus stretching the muscles) may cause pain in the hollow of the knee.
Pain in the back of the knee after pregnancy
In addition to smoking and taking the pill, pregnancy is also a risk factor for developing leg vein thrombosis. If you experience pain in the hollow of your knee after pregnancy, you should at least keep this possibility in mind. If the pain is accompanied by overheating and swelling of the lower leg of the affected leg, a leg vein thrombosis becomes more and more likely and should be examined by a doctor immediately.
In contrast, it should also be mentioned that the expectant mother gains an average of around 10 kilograms in weight during pregnancy, which is an unusually high load on the knee joints. Therefore, knee overload reactions occur more frequently during pregnancy, which can cause pain that is very similar to that of a leg vein thrombosis.
Read more about this under Thrombosis in Pregnancy.
Pain in the hollow of the knee in children
Children can complain of leg pain, especially when they are in kindergarten or primary school. The pain is then mostly localized in the back of the knees, calves or in the hips.
There are two main causes to be mentioned:
On the one hand, it can be a so-called growth pain, the cause of which is unclear. It occurs preferentially in children between the ages of two and eight years, mostly at night and only for a short time.
On the other hand, in children, especially in the growth phase, epiphyysis is a possible cause of pain in the hollow of the knee. This is a detachment of the growth plate so that, depending on the extent of the disease, the epiphysis partially or completely slips off the bone - in the area of the knee from the shin. Not only does this cause pain, but there is also the risk of stunted growth, as normal bone growth is interrupted at the growth plate. This condition can occur after an injury or for no apparent reason. In the latter case in particular, there is a risk that the child's complaints will not be taken seriously. In stages I and II according to Aitken, immobilization of the affected leg is necessary, in stages III and IV wires are absolutely necessary to fix the epiphysis to the bone in order to ensure that the child grows properly.
But how do you differentiate whether it is growing pains or a serious illness? A clear distinction is of course not possible without a doctor. However, there are some symptoms that clearly suggest a cause other than growth. If the child has very severe, long-lasting pain (longer than 15 minutes) in combination with a fever without a cold, this is more indicative of an infection or another disease than of growth pain. In addition, redness and swelling in the joints speak against growth pain.
What can you do about this pain? You can put a hot water bottle on the affected areas of the child. Targeted massages or the administration of a mild pain reliever such as ibuprofen can also help. However, it is advisable to simply discuss the procedure with a doctor. Growing pains are usually quite normal and physiological and do not require any therapy. However, it should always be clarified whether there is something else behind the pain.
Other possible causes of pain in the hollow of the knee are joint misalignments on the leg in children, which can be congenital or acquired. The pain can then of course also be localized elsewhere on the leg (e.g. in the ankle), this depends on the misalignment.
Pain in the back of the knee and thigh
The muscles of the thigh are involved in limiting the hollow of the knee (see "Biceps tendon tendinosis"). Therefore, diseases, strains and tears of the thigh muscles, especially the biceps femoris muscle, can cause pain in the hollow of the knee. This pain can radiate into the thigh.
Read more about this under our topic: Pain in the thigh
Pain in the outside of the knee
In the outer area of the hollow of the knee, pain usually occurs when there is irritation or injury to the ligament and tendon structures of the knee, but injuries to the menisci and the joint capsule also cause these complaints when the knee is twisted. Although the outer meniscus does not tear as quickly as the inner meniscus, incorrect rotation can cause pain in the hollow of the knee due to a tear.
Pain in the outer hollow of the knee may be due to the following:
Both a tear in the inner and outer ligaments cause pain in the back of the knee and occur in rotational trauma to the knee in which the lower leg is excessively twisted against the thigh. The tear in the ligaments can be palpable, but most of all it causes pain. The medial ligament tear typically occurs in conjunction with an anterior cruciate ligament tear and an injury to the medial meniscus, making the knee overall unstable. Both ligaments can also be overloaded during sports such as skiing or horse riding, which can lead to pain in the hollow of the knee. By taking it easy, the pain relieves from excessive strain within days.
An injury to the inner or outer meniscus leads to pressure pain over the joint space of the knee, which, however, also radiates into the outer hollow of the knee and occurs particularly when the knee is bent. Degeneration (occurs especially in old age) or a lesion of the external meniscus also leads to pain in the hollow of the knee.
In trauma with a stretched leg, damage to the outer ligament, the joint capsule and the posterior cruciate ligament occurs frequently. All three structures often result in milder initial pain in the outer hollow of the knee, which increases and spreads over time.
At the muscle - tendon junction of the hamstring muscles, which lead from the back of the thigh to the outside of the knee, excessive training can cause excessive strain, which then also causes pain in the outer hollow of the knee. The popliteus muscle also runs in the hollow of the knee and can lead to pain in the hollow of the knee if it is overloaded or injured. These then occur in particular when running downhill due to the strain on the muscle, whereby the symptoms can partially improve again in rest.
A distinction between an overload of ligaments or muscles and a serious injury to structures on the knee is very important in order to avoid consequential damage. If rest, cooling and elevation do not bring any significant improvement, the cause of the symptoms must be clarified.
Another reason for outside back pain can be a Baker's cyst (see below: Popliteal cyst) be. This is a sign of wear and tear that occurs mainly in older patients. The knee swells a lot and stretching leads to pain in the hollow of the knee, whereby the pain is localized outside or inside, depending on the occurrence of the cyst.
Please also read our article on this Popliteal cyst.
In the case of overloading as well as injuries to structures on the knee, strict care should be taken to avoid worsening the condition and promoting healing.
The complaints can be clarified by:
- orthopedic tests
- X-rays
and - performing an MRI
possible.
Pain in the back of the knee and calf
If pain occurs in the hollow of the knee, the symptoms can be transmitted to the calf. Conversely, pain from the calf can also radiate into the hollow of the knee. The possible causes are:
- thrombosis
- Baker's cyst
- Overloading of the gastrocnemius muscle
- wrong footwear when running
- Compression / injury to the tibial nerve
- Compression of the popliteal artery
If the pain radiates from the calf into the hollow of the knee, there may be a thrombosis in the leg. Thrombosis is a vascular disease with a blood clot in the venous system, particularly the deep veins in the legs. The blood clot can be transported to the heart or the lungs, and here e.g. trigger a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
A multi-level thrombosis affects the vessels that supply the calf, the hollow of the knee and the thigh. Accordingly, pain can occur in all of the areas mentioned, which also radiates into the surrounding tissue. More often, however, the pain is radiated in the direction of the foot, as this is where the blood accumulates, which can no longer flow away to the center of the body due to the vascular occlusion. Usually there is also knee swelling and one / both calves. If you suspect a thrombosis, you should therefore urgently consult a doctor.
A possible cause of calf pain emanating from the hollow of the knee can be a burst Baker's cyst (see below). This is a protuberance at the weakest point of the posterior capsule of the knee joint. Often the cause of a Baker's cyst is an injury to the knee joint, which leads to chronic inflammation. The inflammation in turn causes fluid to form in the joint, which leads to the formation of a Baker's cyst due to the resulting pressure. If the pressure is too great, the joint capsule tears. The synovial fluid drains into the lower calf following gravity. There, the fluid that has run in causes swelling and tenderness, as the compartments of the lower leg are excessively stretched.
If pain in the hollow of the knee occurs, the Gastrocnemius muscle (originates from the hollow of the knee and starts in the heel area in the Achilles tendon).
If you wear the wrong footwear while running, this can also cause pain in the hollow of the knee.
Another possible cause of simultaneous pain in the back of the knee and calf is an injury or compression of the tibial nerve. This nerve lies on the surface of the hollow of the knee and continues into the calf to the instep of the foot. It can be damaged by direct injury, but also by hemorrhage or joint effusion that causes nerve irritation due to compression. Even if the original knee joint injury has healed, the nerve can still be irritated, leading to pain in the calf.
With very intensive training and with the use of muscle building preparations, it is possible that the rapid increase in size of the muscles of the thigh and lower leg results in compression of the popliteal artery, which lies in the hollow of the knee. Since this vessel supplies the calf muscles with blood, pressing this vessel, for example while squatting, can trigger an insufficient supply in the area of the calf and cause so-called ischemic pain due to the lack of blood.
Read more on this topic: Pain in the calf and the hollow of the knee
Pain in the calf
Calf pain often feel like a piercing pain that comes from below. However, these pains, especially chronic ones, are often of a superficial nature. They mostly result from Tension in the muscles, of their Fascia or des Connective tissue. This tension can be felt from the outside as hardening. The pain increases with certain movements, such as kneeling or jogging.
The pain in the hollow of the knee can be relieved by the Course of the calf muscles to explain. The big one is important here Triceps surae musclethat forms the arch of the calf. It consists of a superficial one Gastrocnemius muscle and a deep Soleus muscle. The gastrocnemius muscle is a two-headed muscle at the bottom of the Thighbone, to the so-called Epicondyles of the femur, rises and in the Achilles tendon starts. With his two heads it limits the hollow of the knee to the right and left. Pain in this muscle or even at its origins quickly radiates into the hollow of the knee, or even arises in it.
Almost always are too Restrictions on movement to observe. The Extending the knee difficult, but that too Rolling the feet, the Flexing and straightening the toes, the Flexion and extension of the ankle and the Pro- as well as supination of the foot.
Conditions that cause pain in the hollow of the knee
Meniscus damage
- Synonyms:
Meniscus rupture, meniscus lesion, meniscus degeneration, meniscus damage, meniscus disease - Place of greatest pain:
Right or left emphasized in the hollow of the knee. - Pathology / cause:
Wear-related (degenerative) tear of the inner or outer meniscus in the posterior horn area. Referred pain. - Age:
older age - Gender:
no gender preference - Accident:
Usually no memory trauma (accident). - Type of pain:
Rather dull, pulling. Possibly. limited, partially blocked mobility of the knee joints. Incoming stabbing pain after turning the leg. - Pain development:
Slowly, increasingly or repeatedly with pauses. - Pain occurrence:
V.a. during exercise, in a crouching position or after unfavorable rotational movements of the knee joint. If the meniscus becomes trapped in the knee joint, the knee can no longer be fully extended and constant pain can result. - External aspects:
Stress-dependent, minor swelling, sometimes none. - Further information:
You can find comprehensive information under our topic: Meniscal tear
Popliteal cyst / Baker's cyst
- Synonyms:
Baker's cyst, Baker's cyst, hollow of the knee cyst - Place of greatest pain:
Back of the knee, if differentiated, then more on the inside. - Pathology / cause:
Fluid-filled capsule pouch in the hollow of the knee, usually caused by osteoarthritis, meniscus disease or rheumatic disease. - Age:
Middle to old age. - Gender:
no gender preference - Accident:
In most cases, a Baker's cyst occurs as part of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. In rare cases, a knee joint accident can also lead to a popliteal cyst. - Type of pain:
Pushing, pulling. Feeling of tension. Limited knee flexion. - Pain development:
Slowly increasing. When a Baker's cyst ruptured, pain could be sudden and severe. - Pain occurrence:
Exertional pain especially when the knee is in an extended position or when the knee is forced to flex. - External aspects:
Swelling of the hollow of the knee. Alternating swelling conditions are possible due to the valve mechanism. - Further information:
You can find comprehensive information under our topic: Baker's Cyst
Vascular disease
A deep vein thrombosis, too Phlebothrombosis can cause severe pain in the hollow of the knee. In combination with the pain in the hollow of the knee, there is also pain and a feeling of tension in the groin area or the sole of the foot. Externally, permanently dilated skin veins, so-called varices / varicose veins, can be seen. They are very tortuous and occur particularly on the legs. They arise from a weakness in the vein walls and continue to increase over time. In most cases, the left leg is affected.
At the beginning, so-called spider veins appear, which cause no further complaints and are treated for optical reasons at most. As the disease progresses, however, the defective veins cause swelling and pain, as the blood flow in the leg is obstructed and the blood backs up. The complaints occur particularly at high outside temperatures and after long periods of standing. The swelling or pain makes walking difficult and the hollow of the knee can also be affected, as this is where the superficial veins of the lower leg and knee connect to the lower one Popliteal vein - the popliteal vein - lies. It carries venous blood from the lower leg and the hollow of the knee into the Femoral vein, a large vein in the thigh.
So-called thrombolytics such as are used therapeutically here Streptokinase and Urokinaseto loosen the thrombus. This treatment takes about 5-7 days. Thereafter, thrombosis prophylaxis with heparin or acetylsalicylic acid is carried out. There is also the option of a thrombectomy. This is the surgical removal of a thrombus from a blood vessel. This is done using a catheter.
Read more on the topic Deep vein thrombosis
Varices / thrombosis
- Synonyms in the broader sense:
Deep vein thrombosis; TVT; Phlebothrombosis; venous thrombosis, pelvic vein thrombosis, vein thrombosis, blood clots, leg vein thrombosis, lower leg thrombosis, economy class syndrome, tourist class syndrome, aircraft thrombosis, varicosis - Place of greatest pain:
Back of the knee indefinite., Radiation or origin often in the lower leg - Pathology / cause:
Superficial or deep vein sacs / occlusions. - Age:
middle to old age - Gender:
no gender preference - Accident:
Possible accident and leg rest (e.g. due to a cast). - Type of pain:
pushing, pulling - Pain development:
slowly increasing - Pain occurrence:
Pain at rest and exertion. - External aspects:
Visible varicose veins. With deep thrombosis, swelling and livid discoloration of the lower leg. Possibly reddening of the lower leg, always swelling, sometimes with shiny skin. Partly fever - Further information:
You can find comprehensive information under our topic: Thrombosis
Tendon disorders
Pain in the hollow of the knee can also originate from an overload of the biceps femoris muscle. This muscle is located at the back of the thigh and belongs to the so-called hamstring muscles. It has two heads and its long head rises from a protrusion of the pelvic bone, the Sciatic tuberosity. The short head arises from the thigh bone itself. After the two heads have been united, the muscle attaches to the fibular head of the fibula, thus limiting the knee to the outer edge. There is also a bursa between the muscle tendon and the knee joint. A stress-related disease of this tendon, which one Biceps tendon tendinosis (see below) calls can be extremely painful. The pain is localized in the hollow of the knee and is felt to be stabbing and pulling and develops slowly.
People who are very active in sports are particularly affected. There are other synonyms for this tendon disease. These are Insertion tendopathy and Myotendinosis.
The term insertion tendopathy describes the localization of the disease very nicely. This is the transition from the tendon to the bone, the attachment. The cause is almost always an incorrect load in people who have not been adequately trained or an overload in the case of athletes without adequate rest breaks. The attachment of the tendons is then swollen and degenerated in a fatty manner. This can also be seen from the outside. The pain then mainly occurs under stress. But there is also pressure and stretching pain. For pain relief, it is advisable to avoid incorrect and excessive strain. Conservative work is then carried out with heat therapy, tape bandages, shock wave and electrotherapy, as well as the injection of glucocorticoids. If conservative therapy does not work, surgery can be performed. During this operation, the diseased tendon is cut. Since this always leads to functional restrictions, an operation should only be considered after any conservative method. In addition to any type of therapy, physiotherapy and physiotherapy are recommended.
On the tendons of the hollow of the knee, irritation, inflammation and, in the worst case, tears cause pain, which mainly occurs during movements and lead to movement restrictions. In the hollow of the knee, the iliotibial tract, a structure that runs from the iliac crest over the outer knee hump to the attachment point on the upper lower leg, and the tendon of the biceps femoris muscle are often affected. Both tendons cause pain in the outer hollow of the knee.
Damage to the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle or the semitendinosus muscle, on the other hand, is responsible for tendon-related pain in the inner hollow of the knee. The cause of the irritation of these tendons is a strong stress and friction between the tendon and a protruding bone, as is the case, for example, with the iliotibial band. This runs over a protrusion of the thigh, the condyle lateralis femoris, on which it can rub itself under high stress. If the irritation increases to inflammation of the tendons, pain is present at rest and also at night. The inflammation pain is permanent and can be improved by cooling. If one of these tendons ruptures, there is a loss of movement because the power transmission is no longer guaranteed. This limitation particularly affects knee flexion.
Biceps tendon tendinosis
- Synonyms:
Enthesopathy of the biceps femoris muscle - Place of greatest pain:
External hollow of the knee. Fibula head (caput fibulae). - Pathology / cause:
Overuse-related tendon disease of the biceps femoris muscle of the back of the thigh on the head of the fibula (caput fibulae). - Age:
physically active people - Gender:
no gender preference - Accident:
No - Type of pain:
stabbing, pulling. - Pain development:
slowly increasing - Pain occurrence:
load-dependent - External aspects:
None, if the symptoms persist, tendon thickening may occur.
Which doctor treats back knee pain?
Pain in the hollow of the knee should first be assessed by an orthopedic surgeon. This can detect or rule out structural damage to bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons.
If the orthopedic surgeon is unable to determine anything, it makes sense to see a vascular specialist and / or a neurologist. The vascular specialist can find clots in the arteries and veins and remove them. A neurologist can treat damage to the nerves.
Does taping make sense for pain in the hollow of the knee?
There are two different methods of taping.
There is the conventional mostly white and very stable tape. This is often used after structural injuries, as it primarily serves to stabilize the knee joint.
The more modern kinesio tape, on the other hand, is very elastic and is supposed to improve muscular problems.
In the case of pain in the hollow of the knee, a stabilizing effect is usually not particularly helpful, as the mobility in the knee joint is additionally restricted.
However, you can use kinesio taping for muscular complaints. For complaints in the hollow of the knee, depending on the muscles affected, taping the calf or the back of the thigh helps. Such taping is usually done by a physiotherapist.
You may also be interested in the following article with important information: Taping the knee
