Author Topic: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee  (Read 960 times)

roywilliams213

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Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« on: 16:33:36, 24/05/20 »

Hi all, forgive me if this is posted in the wrong forum, I've never posted here before so hopefully, these type of questions are permitted.


I usually don't ask people online for medical advice, but seeing how my PT will be unavailable until July, I have to make an exception.


So as the title says, I'm facing a persistent but mild pain at the back of my knee that started a few months ago in February after I decided to go on a 10km walk each day.


Seeing as how I was not physically active as I used to be, I wanted to at least do something until I could afford to go back to the gym, and to go back to doing cardio like jogging or cycling. That is why I decided to take on a 10k walk each day to at least do something instead of sitting in front of my PC all day long.


Shortly after a few weeks of me doing that, each time I was out on a walk, I began to feel a slight pain at the back of my knee in my right leg which only worsened the more I pushed through it.


After noticing that, I decided to rest and let it pass using the RICE method. At this time the COVID quarantine started, so I wasn't able to go on walks as I used to and decided to use that time to rest my knee even more.


Fast forward to May and the end of quarantine, I started to go on my 10k walk routine again, only this time the pain came back quickly on the first day, starting again from mild to strong the more I go.


I knew there was something wrong when nothing changed over these 2 months, so I decided to google the problem to see if it was anything serious, and I couldn't find anything. The only thing that I did find is that it could be hamstring tendonitis, which seems to fit the description of my problem well. I have tight hamstrings, and overuse of them could have been the result of this, the only thing that I do not understand is, why did it only appear on one of my legs and not the other?


And that's why I'm here asking you guys, if you could give me any advice on what this problem might be and if there is any way to fix it.


Thanks in forward, and apologies for the long post.

gunwharfman

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #1 on: 21:06:45, 24/05/20 »
I've had what I think may be similar problem to you, twice in the last three years? First a continuous nagging pain and/or ache near to my hipbone Iliac Crest, going to the back of my knee. I tried everything, ice, stretching exercises, etc but nothing seemed to work except TIME. It took more than four months of hobbling around and then on one day it was all fine!

I then had a second pain, this time from the back of my knee to my ankle, solved in the same way, after about three months, it suddenly became OK again.

I was told its to do with the tendon that is fixed to the bone and to a muscle then to another bone at the other end of the muscle and the reason it takes so long to heal is that a tendon has a poor blood supply so it takes that much longer to repair itself. So it's the tendon that's possibly giving you gip? I must look up the difference between a ligament and a tendon, I can get muddled between the two.

If it worries you maybe see your GP or as I did visit my local Physiotherapy department, they gave me a large free elastic band and an A$ sheep of exercises to practice. It didn't help!

I did the same as you, I looked online and I too think it was tendonitis, I also looked up how to help it to repair by looking at You Tube stretching videos. I tried everything but in the end, it was time that solved it for me.

gunwharfman

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #2 on: 21:14:06, 24/05/20 »
Sorry, should read 'A4 sheet'

My injuries were caused by running, not sure why they occurred but I think it was because on both occasions my feet landed badly, one I believe was definitely because I put my running body weight on one foot onto a tree root instead of onto the earth near it. I'm always much more careful nowadays, I try to concentrate and look where I place my feet much more so than I used to.

Oddly though I tripped over so many times but have never had a problem afterward, my injuries just sneaked up on me.

SteamyTea

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #3 on: 21:15:14, 24/05/20 »
I had a similar things after helping a friend move out of a third floor flat, without the use of a lift.
I put it down to tendinitis.
I sometimes happens after about 7 mile when I walk now.
No idea if that is what it really is.

I am not a medical doctor and if it is worrying you, seek proper advice.
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Slogger

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #4 on: 19:31:04, 26/05/20 »
I must look up the difference between a ligament and a tendon, I can get muddled between the two.
A Tendon joins muscle to bone, a Ligament joins bone to bone as in a joint. Tendon stretch, Ligaments are strong to hold the bone structures together and have very little stretch if at all.

Slogger

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #5 on: 19:37:48, 26/05/20 »
Pain at the back of the knee is as mentioned usually Hamstring tendonitis. Can be caused by overstretching or simply tight hamstrings, an ice compress is very good for this, used two or three times a day for 20 minutes, don't stretch until the inflamation has calmed down (Tenderness) If tendonitis, pressing on the area will create pain and you can usually pinpoint the exact location of the flare up. The other thing is more of an issue and is a Bakers Cyst which requires professional assessment.

harry_keogh

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Re: Mild persistent pain at the back of my knee
« Reply #6 on: 17:21:18, 13/06/20 »
My knees always suffer after a lot of hillwalking.... I used to think I had dodgy knees but I've recently come around to the idea that it's all down to tight muscles and tendons, and there's actually nothing wrong with my knees at all. On one leg, I frequently got a pain on the inside of my knee after a lot of walking on uneven ground. I'm now convinced that the issue is Pes anserine bursitis (my GP agrees). On my other leg, I have overly tight hamstrings which causes a tightness at the back of my knee. After so many miles, it definitely starts to affect knee function. I've started using the foam roller a lot more on my hamstrings and started stretching my calf muscles more often - so far it does seem to be helping.

 

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