Pain in the back of the knee, often called popliteal pain, can be a frustrating and limiting issue.
Whether you’re an athlete, spend hours on your feet, or just notice it during daily activities, this discomfort can significantly impact your mobility and quality of life. At Don Kelly Physiotherapy and Acupuncture, we’re here to help you understand the common causes of this pain and, more importantly, offer effective solutions.
What Causes Pain Behind the Knee?
The back of the knee (the popliteal fossa) is a complex area containing vital blood vessels, nerves, and tendons. Pain here can stem from various sources. Here are some of the most frequent culprits we see in our clinic
1. Baker’s Cyst (Popliteal Cyst):
What it is: A fluid-filled sac that forms when the lubricating fluid (synovial fluid) from the knee joint is pushed to the back, often due to an underlying issue like arthritis or a meniscus tear.
Symptoms: A feeling of tightness, swelling, or a palpable lump, especially when fully extending or bending the knee. It can sometimes burst, causing sharp pain and bruising down the calf.
2. Hamstring Tendinopathy (Especially the Medial Tendons):
- What it is: Irritation or inflammation of the tendons that connect your hamstring muscles to the back of your knee. This is common in runners and those involved in stop-and-start sports.
- Symptoms: Pain and tenderness when pressing on the tendons, and discomfort that worsens with activity, particularly with explosive movements or deep knee bends.
3. Gastrocnemius (Calf Muscle) Strain/Tear:
What it is: Damage to the calf muscle where it attaches just above the knee joint.
Symptoms: Sudden, sharp pain during activity (often described as feeling “kicked”), bruising, and difficulty bearing weight or pointing the toes.
4. Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury:
What it is: Injury to one of the ligaments deep inside the knee, often caused by a direct blow to the front of a bent knee.
Symptoms: Deep, non-specific pain in the back of the knee, knee instability, and swelling.
5. Referred Pain from the Spine or Sciatica:
- What it is: Nerve compression or irritation in the lower back that causes pain to travel or “refer” down the leg and into the back of the knee.
- Symptoms: Pain that is often accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg.
How Don Kelly Physiotherapy and Acupuncture Can Help
At Don Kelly, we don’t just treat the symptom—we identify and address the root cause of your popliteal pain.
Our holistic approach combines specialized techniques for comprehensive recovery:
Accurate Diagnosis: Your journey starts with a thorough physical assessment and detailed history to pinpoint the exact structure causing your pain.
Hands-on Physiotherapy: We use manual therapy techniques, including joint mobilization and soft tissue release, to improve joint mechanics and reduce muscle tension.
- Dry Needling: A powerful, targeted technique used to release deep muscle tension and trigger points (knots) in the hamstrings and calves, providing rapid relief for associated back-of-knee pain.
Acupuncture: This highly effective treatment can be used to manage pain, reduce inflammation, and promote localized healing by stimulating the nervous system.
Customized Exercise Programs: We develop targeted exercises to restore strength, stability, and flexibility to the knee and surrounding muscles (hamstrings, calves, and quadriceps) to prevent recurrence.
Postural & Movement Analysis: We assess your running stride, walking gait, or sporting technique to correct biomechanical faults that may be overloading your knee.
- Custom Orthotics & Gait Analysis: We assess your foot and leg mechanics. If poor foot posture is causing stress on your knee joint, we provide medical-grade custom orthotics to correct alignment and reduce strain.
If you are experiencing pain, tightness, or a noticeable lump in the back of your knee, please don’t wait for it to get worse. Early intervention is key to a faster and more complete recovery.
Take the first step toward pain-free movement.
Call Don Kelly Physiotherapy and Acupuncture today to schedule your consultation and get back on the path to a healthier, more active life!
