Some people feel pain behind the knee when bending. The most important thing is to establish the cause of the discomfort and prescribe the correct treatment. Only in this way is it possible to completely get rid of the problem and live a full life.

Causes

There are a huge number of ligaments, blood vessels and other types of soft and bone tissue. Often the problem is associated with injuries. But the injuries received are not always the reasons why pain and discomfort is felt in the back of the knee. To accurately establish the cause, it is necessary to undergo diagnostic procedures that will answer the question of what caused the disease.

One of the most common causes of problems is a pinched sciatic nerve. Many incompetent specialists too often make this diagnosis and prescribe treatment that does not bring the desired effect. And only after thorough research has been carried out, can the causes be established, which include injuries suffered, associated with the appearance of neoplasms, and inflammation.

An equally common cause is also a problem with the meniscus. From this problem to Lately Not only professional athletes and people who regularly undergo severe physical activity suffer.

Baker's cyst

A tumor appears characteristic nagging pain.

Causes of the disease:

• inflammatory processes;
• synovitis;
• osteoarthritis.

With this disease, excess fluid is formed, which comes out under pressure.

With this disease, the swelling is located in the very center of the popliteal fossa. It is quite common to have swelling on both limbs. It can be easily seen if the knee is straightened and disappears when the joint is bent. The cyst shrinks if you press on it, as some of the fluid goes into the joint. Most effective means Treatment of the disease includes medications, procedures, or surgery if medications do not help.

Meniscus cyst

The cyst may not even be visible during examination, but it causes enormous trouble. If such a formation is detected, there is severe pain, you may not even need to conduct additional examinations.

The causes of pathologies are injuries received during heavy physical exertion, intense sports, and also if optimal processes in cartilage are disrupted.

Meniscus tears

The problem can appear anywhere. There is an opinion that the problem can only be eliminated with the help of surgical interventions, but this is far from the case. Solve the problem of medicines and even folk remedies can. Treatment consists not only of surgical intervention, but also conservative treatment. You will need the help of several specialists at once, each of whom will do their own job. Only in this way is it possible to completely get rid of the problem and maintain a person’s full working capacity.

It most often appears if the shin is forcibly rotated, and is characteristic specifically of the internal meniscus. As a rule, when the posterior horn of the meniscus is torn, the knee joint does not become blocked, but the problem of the so-called “buckling” of the joint may arise if the damaged horn of the meniscus has shifted.

This disease can occur both after an injury and in diseases that lead to disturbances in the nutritional processes of cartilage tissue. And subsequently the cartilage began to deteriorate.

Meniscus tear can only be cured with surgery. Quite often it is also required drug treatment, which is prescribed for inflammatory processes. It is necessary to limit the limb's movements by applying an elastic bandage and wearing a knee brace. The irritating factor must be eliminated. Sometimes such measures can avoid surgery and eliminate leg pain in the knee and calf area.

Tendon inflammation

In this area of ​​the body contains a lot of tendons. A sign that not everything is all right with them may be a decrease in tone. To eliminate this unpleasant phenomenon, a qualified specialist and the correct course of treatment are required. There are several reasons that lead to disorders in the soft tissues near the knee joint:

• one of the main reasons is strong physical activity, which is accompanied by the same type of movements over a fairly long period of time, a long stay in one position;
• suffered trauma, even the most minor one, can lead to problems with soft tissues near the knee, which leads to the appearance of inflammatory processes that can cause serious complications and discomfort;
• bursitis;
• tendonitis;
• Tenosynovitis.

The last three diseases develop as a result of injury and physical stress, if the necessary measures are not taken.

In the back of the knee joint, in the area of ​​soft tissue, inflammatory processes can develop - bursitis. With this disease, the tendons become more compacted - this can be felt by palpation. The difference from a Baker's cyst is that when pressure is applied, the lumps and tumors do not become smaller in size, since they are not connected to the capsule of the knee joints.

Bursitis and tendovaginitis manifest themselves not only in the tightening of the tendons, but also in the fact that pain appears at the back of the knee joint. People of all ages and both sexes are at risk. Most patients claim that before the onset of pain there was heavy physical activity. And only then did nagging pains appear.

To successfully cure diseases, you need to ensure complete rest for the joint. You need to bend and straighten your leg as little as possible. If the pain becomes severe and the leg cannot be rested, it is necessary to wear a knee brace, or a plaster splint may be applied. In parallel, drug treatment is carried out using drugs for inflammation. This treatment is very similar to the course of any diseases associated with joint diseases. Procedures are prescribed to improve the effect.

Be that as it may, the disease is quite serious and requires close attention. Otherwise, irreversible processes and complications may begin that will have a negative effect on the entire musculoskeletal system.

Diseases caused by inflammatory processes

There are even diseases that can cause an abscess. Such diseases are usually associated with inflammation in the body. If you have pain in the back of your knee, and also have an infected wound on your leg, an inflammatory process in the knee area may begin with the flow of lymph. The lymph nodes are hidden deeply, it is very difficult to determine their increase in size by palpation, a slight swelling visually appears if you press on it - the pain intensifies significantly.

This pathology does not have pronounced symptoms, which are characteristic of inflammatory processes in the human body. The lymph nodes are deep, so it is very difficult to determine their enlargement. There is slight swelling under the knee.

If you press on it while the joint is extended, the pain becomes very severe. This is the main symptom that indicates the presence of this disease.

Diseases of blood vessels and nerves

There are several diseases that cause dysfunction of blood vessels and nerves, which subsequently causes pain behind the knee.

1. A tumor may form on the tibial nerve, which leads to severe pain in the area under the knee and behind. Pain can be felt all the way to the foot. In addition, changes in muscle and tendon tone are characteristic. The problem must be taken seriously; comprehensive treatment is the most effective. There are folk remedies, but they may not cause a positive effect. You only need to treat with surgery, and then go through a rehabilitation process with the help of medications and procedures. Painkillers are prescribed before surgery to reduce suffering. Official science cannot answer why this disease appears.
2. Diseases associated with the blood vessels that pass through this area of ​​the human body can create huge problems. As a rule, with vascular disease, severe pain is not felt, but with the slightest injury severe bleeding may occur. One of the most common problems is arterial dissection. It can only be established using modern diagnostic equipment and certain symptoms.
3. Quite rarely, blood clots can occur in the popliteal vein. but when they appear, it may occur serious illness– popliteal vein thrombosis. The danger also lies in the fact that the symptoms of the disease are practically absent and appear only when complications begin. If the diagnosis is incorrect, a diagnosis of sciatic nerve entrapment may be made.

To establish exactly what kind of disease we are dealing with, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound of the blood vessels and some other diagnostic measures.

Diagnosis should be carried out not only when pain or discomfort appears, but also for the purpose of prevention.

Thrombosis, depending on the nature and stage of the disease, can be treated with medication or surgery.

You cannot treat diseases that cause pain behind the knee on your own. This should be done by specialists.

conclusions

Almost every disease that causes pain or discomfort in the back of the knee requires specialist intervention. There are also traditional methods treatment, but not every method traditional medicine capable of producing the expected effect. This is due to the fact that many diseases require surgical intervention, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Before starting treatment, you need to contact an experienced specialist, and in some cases it is necessary to combine the efforts of several doctors at once, using drugs and complex treatment procedures.

Watch a video about endemic massage, which can help in many cases

In contact with

Pain in the knee joint occurs in inflammatory and degenerative diseases – arthritis and arthrosis. No less often, discomfort occurs under the knee, which is usually associated with other causes of the pathological process. The popliteal fossa is limited above and below by the ligamentous apparatus, as well as by the muscles of the thigh and lower leg. Its bottom is represented by the posterior surface of the femur and the articular capsule of the knee. The area behind the knee joint is filled with adipose tissue, in the thickness of which passes the femoral nerve, artery and vein, united in a neurovascular bundle. The popliteal fossa contains lymph nodes - a protective barrier against ascending infection from the lower leg and foot area. Pain behind the knee due to injury and inflammation of the above mentioned formations.

Cyst and meniscus tear

The cause of pain in the popliteal fossa when walking can be a cyst of the meniscus, a cartilage that performs a shock-absorbing function during movement. A cystic formation appears in the posterior horns, located near the external (lateral) and internal (medial) collateral ligaments. Even small cysts that are not detected by external examination and palpation (feeling) cause severe pain. Most common cause pathology is considered a violation metabolic processes cartilage tissue or chronic injury during intense physical activity, including during sports.

A tear of the posterior horn of the meniscus usually occurs in the area of ​​the medial collateral ligament and is associated with unnatural forced rotation of the tibia. This causes intense pain, impaired movement and a feeling of “buckling” in the knee joint. If the pathology progresses, knee blockade may appear - the inability to flex and extend when walking. Immobilization (immobilization) of the limb, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (nimesulide, diclofenac, indomethacin), chonroprotectors (rumalon, teralex) help restore the affected anatomical structures. IN severe cases surgery is prescribed.

Baker's cyst

Baker's cyst most often appears in patients over 40 years of age and has a symmetrical location on both legs. The cause of the pathology is inflammation of the synovial bursa of the knee joint (synovitis); the disease develops against the background of chronic arthritis or arthrosis. At the same time, it accumulates in the joint cavity a large number of synovial fluid, which, according to the principle of least resistance, penetrates into the popliteal fossa through a weak spot in the posterior wall of the knee capsule.

The disease causes swelling at the back of the knee joint, which is better visualized when the lower limb is extended. A characteristic symptom is a decrease in formation when pressure is applied to it as a result of the reverse flow of fluid into the joint cavity. The cyst causes bursting pain under the knee at rest; when walking, it pulls in this area and interferes with the normal extension of the limb. Treatment of the disease is carried out with non-steroidal drugs, hormonal drugs, including by injection into the cavity of the knee joint (hydrocartisone), and physiotherapy (ultrasound, electrophoresis with dimexide).

Purulent inflammation in the popliteal fossa

Pain syndrome at the back of the knee, wounds in the feet and legs speak in favor of inflammation lymph nodes located deep in the popliteal fossa. The causes of purulent inflammation lie in the hyperactivity of pathogenic microflora against the background of insufficient functional activity of the immune system. Under such conditions, lymphadenitis and purulent melting of the popliteal lymph nodes develop, which causes discomfort when walking.

A slight swelling appears in the affected area, which is usually not accompanied by redness of the skin and an increase in local temperature. Severe pain appears with maximum extension of the limb and pressure behind the knee. If pus accumulates, surgical treatment is prescribed, antibiotic therapy is used, and physiotherapy is used at the stage of subsidence of the inflammatory process.

Damage to the neurovascular bundle

Inflammation or tumor process of the tibial nerve causes severe pain under the knee, regardless of movement, which spreads to the foot and toes. In this case, there may be a violation of the sensitivity of the skin below the level of the lesion, a decrease in muscle tone and the extinction of tendon reflexes. Therapy of the pathological process is carried out surgically; after surgery, painkillers (nalgesin, airtal) and antibiotics are prescribed.

Popliteal vein thrombosis is extremely rare and is a type of pathological thrombus formation in the deep veins of the leg. Disease for a long time may be asymptomatic and cause life-threatening conditions such as thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery system. Nagging pain in the popliteal region, swelling of the feet and legs, and trophic disorders appear in the later stages of the development of the pathology. The causes of thrombosis in most cases are varicose veins of the lower extremities. For treatment, antiplatelet agents (Curantil), anticoagulants (Warfarin), venotonics (Detralex), and surgical therapy are used.

An aneurysm of the popliteal artery is a dissection of its wall with the formation of a saccular protrusion. In the area of ​​the pathological process, the vascular wall becomes thinner, becomes fragile, and can cause heavy bleeding with minor injury or physical activity. The causes of an aneurysm are associated with a congenital defect of the artery or acquired pathology (atherosclerosis, endarteritis). The disease causes intense pain, with pulling in the area of ​​the knee fossa while walking. The symptoms are similar to Baker's cyst; the main difference is the persistence of swelling when pressed and pulsation at the site of the artery lesion. Treatment is carried out surgically.

Disease of periarticular tissues

The periarticular tissues of the knee joint are represented by ligaments, tendons, and tendon bursae. The cause of pain under the knee is inflammation and microtraumatization of these anatomical structures during physical overexertion or, conversely, prolonged static posture. Tendonitis, tendovaginitis, and bursitis occur when ligaments and tendons swell during intense exercise, which leads to pinching and damage. Pain in the outer part of the popliteal fossa is associated with damage to the tendon bursa of the biceps femoris muscle, and discomfort on its inner side is associated with bursitis of the semimembranosus muscle.

The pain syndrome intensifies when walking and decreases at rest, is characterized by nagging pain of moderate intensity and a one-sided pathological process. A compaction appears in the area of ​​inflammation, which does not disappear upon palpation (feeling). Prescribe immobilization of the affected knee joint, reducing physical activity, anti-inflammatory treatment, physiotherapy.

Pain behind the knee can occur for various reasons when certain anatomical structures of the popliteal fossa are affected. To prescribe the correct treatment, you must consult a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination to make the correct diagnosis.

Pains in the head, in the lower abdomen in women, or in the stomach after poor-quality food are considered common and understandable for people. If there is pain behind the knee, what could it be?

With such a symptom, it is recommended to pay attention to your health and find out the cause of the pathology, which can cause a person either mild discomfort or unbearable pain. About 15% of people suffer from knee joint diseases, but few know that it is necessary to treat such conditions.

The popliteal cavity is surrounded above and below by the knee tendon, as well as muscles extending from the thigh and lower leg. At the bottom is the femur, and in the middle are the knee nerve, artery and vein. The free space is filled with subcutaneous fat. Don’t forget about the lymph nodes, which serve as a barrier against infection in the foot and leg area.

Such a complex structure makes it difficult to diagnose diseases.

In addition, the nerves in the popliteal fossa can also transmit pain from the lower parts of the spine.

Causes

What can cause pain behind the knee? In most cases, it is difficult to independently determine the cause and this will require consultation with a doctor and additional diagnostic methods.

A possible cause of pain under the left or right knee may be hidden in:

• Pathologies of the knee joint itself;
• Periarticular inflammatory and infectious processes;
• Conditions not related to the musculoskeletal system.

Provoking factors

Why do some people develop joint problems very early, while others lead an active lifestyle until old age?

There are several categories of people predisposed to bone or connective tissue diseases:

• Professional athletes. Joints and sprains are a big problem for such people. Their joints endure not only heavy loads, but also excessive activity, which leads to premature wear. The athlete's muscle often cramps and twitches. According to statistics, the left leg is less often affected;
• Workers with heavy physical labor. Heavy stress destroys joints and accelerates the pathological process. If a problem appears and the cause is not eliminated, this can lead to disability;
• People after operations or infectious diseases . Pulling pain in the area of ​​the popliteal fossa may appear as a result of innervation of nerve endings from other foci of inflammation.

Joint diseases

If the knee is inflamed, pain will occur when bending and straightening the knee.

Pain under the kneecap can occur as a result of:

• Cystic formations. A well-known disease, Baker's cyst, most often affects women after 35 years of age. The disease occurs as a result of pre-existing arthrosis and osteoporosis, representing a chronic inflammatory process in the synovium. Cystic lesions of the menisci are also possible;
• Meniscus injuries. A rupture often occurs after excessive stress on the joint. This condition requires immediate medical care, otherwise the injury will lead to disability.

Periarticular pathologies

If tendons, ligaments, muscles, or joint capsules are inflamed or mechanically damaged, you may feel that the popliteal fossa hurts. If the back of the joint is inflamed, we can assume the presence of bursitis, in which the seal does not disappear when pressed, and the pain may radiate to the surface of the thigh.

Non-orthopedic diseases

Promote the emergence painful sensations under the knee can:

• Neoplasms, mainly tumors of nerve endings. In this case, severe aching or sharp pain in the back of the knee it is also duplicated in the calf;
• Lesions of blood structures, for example, an aneurysm of the popliteal artery or vein thrombosis (one of the complications of varicose veins, when the vein swells and a blood clot forms in it). It may be noticeable that the affected area is swollen and throbbing, or a bruise appears without a contusion;
• Infected wounds below the joint can lead to purulent diseases left or right popliteal fossa. In this case, there is inflammation of the lymph nodes and increased pain when bending the leg.

Symptoms

Popliteal pain can be of different types, for example:

• With Baker's cyst An adult is bothered by nagging, not severe pain. As a rule, one leg aches. The cyst, or hernia, is noticeable even externally - it looks like a swelling that is located in the middle of the popliteal fossa. If the patient notices that he is swollen in this place, it means that there is an accumulation of excess liquid, which moves into the cup when pressed;
• Meniscal cyst lesion, on the contrary, is characterized by severe and sharp pain;
• Damage to periarticular structures manifests itself as pain of moderate intensity and limited mobility. In this case, swelling appears on the knee and it swells;
• Arthritis easy to recognize by a characteristic set of symptoms: limitation of movement of the legs and knees, pain, swelling;
• Vascular diseases cause not only local symptoms, so a person, in addition to pain in the knee joint, will be bothered by general intoxication, numbness of the limbs, and a feeling of pins and needles.

Diagnostics

If discomfort or lumps appear under the knees, the patient can contact:

• To the therapist. He will suggest why your knees may hurt when stretching or walking, and then refer you to a specialist;
• If your child is bothered by leg pain, you should go to pediatrician;
• Orthopedist– a specialist in diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• Surgeon;
• Neuropathologist.

After asking about the nature of the pain and how long ago it appeared, the doctor may send the patient for an x-ray or ultrasound to see the presence of pathology or destructive processes.

Treatment

Considering the many reasons why the legs hurt under the knees, how to treat this condition should be determined by a doctor. If the pain is nagging, the treatment may be one thing, but if the lump is sharp or clearly visible, it can be completely different. You should not take any measures or medications on your own.

In treatment, preference is given to conservative methods. However, in most cases, they only reduce the symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause of the disease.

Medicines prescribed:

• Non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. Used for no longer than a week, they help reduce pain, inflammation and swelling;
• Analgesics. Facilitate the patient’s condition, relieve pain;
• Hormones. Prescribed in severe cases when easier therapy is ineffective. Quickly relieve itching, inflammation and swelling;
• Chondroprotectors. Unlike other remedies, they act on the cause, restoring cartilage tissue and slowing down the process of degeneration;
• Antibiotics.

In case of purulent lesions, meniscal rupture, vascular aneurysm, it is recommended surgical intervention. Special knee pads for sore joints will help reduce the load and slow down the pathological process. If possible, the underlying disease (for example, osteoarthritis) should be treated.

Video - treating knee pain

Traditional treatment

Therapy folk remedies less effective than medication, but widely used for orthopedic pain.

Basically, it includes external treatment on the leg:

• Dandelion, lilac and chestnut raw materials pour a glass of vodka and leave for 2 weeks. You need to moisten a piece of gauze in the infusion and apply lotions to the diseased area;
• From honey and mumiyo you can prepare an ointment that is rubbed on the side of the calyx and hamstring;
• A mixture of table salt, soda and mustard effectively removes swelling and reduces pain. Honey is also used as a base for the mixture.

If you don’t know the name of the place where you feel discomfort, go to an in-person appointment with a doctor.

If you feel heaviness, burning, the knee is swollen or pulling– it will be very difficult to find the reasons on your own. It happens that sharp knees are just a cosmetic feature, but it happens that the kneecap begins to hurt when pressed from the front and indicates pathology.

A small bruise at the bottom of the knee in children should not cause concern, even if it burns and bakes. If the lymph node is inflamed or the baby is pulsating above the popliteal fossa, there may be vascular pathologies.

Pain under the knee can be a signal of a serious illness, which can be quite difficult to recognize. If you have hurts behind the knees, do not rush to panic and look for how to treat your knee at home. The appearance of pain may be completely unrelated to the knee joint itself. In this article, you will learn the common causes of pain in the knee area.

What are the diseases that cause pain behind the knee?

What to do if your knee hurts in the back of your leg

As you can see, knee pain can be caused by various reasons, so you need to undergo a comprehensive diagnosis.

1. Go to a traumatologist or surgeon for a visual examination.
2. It is important to determine the nature of the pain and the time when it intensifies.
3. Testing pain when bending and extending the leg.
4. X-ray of the knee
5. Ultrasound of the joint
6. Tomogram
7. Blood tests

The doctor may prescribe any of these examinations, it all depends on the characteristics of the injuries.

How and with what to treat knee pain

At severe pain It is important to ensure complete rest for the leg. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed as the main treatment to relieve swelling of the knee joint. Painkillers are also helpful if you cannot bear the pain. Cold compresses using novocaine and dimexide also help. After treatment, the doctor may prescribe physiological procedures to strengthen the muscles. After treatment, it is important not to overload the leg and use special protective bandages when walking.