Pain in back of knee

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Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
I did 3 laps of the red route at Sherwood Pines on new years day. I think I might have overdone it a bit with doing the 3rd lap as I have not been cycling that much over the winter. I felt OK at the time (just tired). However, later that night, I strated to get pain in the back of my knee (in the crease where it bends). It was painful to walk and painful to pressure. The pain is not severe but it is still there almost 2 weeks later. I have not been cycling since, so it has been rested. Anyone had similar injury and any idea of recovery time?
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Have you been icing it?
If it’s not getting better, might be time to consult a physio?
 
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Gixxerman

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
Nope no ice. Just rest and short walks to keep it from seizing up. There seems to be a bit of swelling in the area behind the knee. I know a sports injury clinic so if it hasn't got better in another weeks or so, I'll get it looked at.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Could be a Bakers cyst behind the knee. Clinic sounds a good idea. Ice, heat and maybe an anti inflammatory in meantime

How old are you? History of knee issues?
 
It could be a lot of things you need to get it checked out by an expert. It could just be that your saddle is too high and if an expert confirms you've not done any actual physical damage it'll just be a few weeks once you've lowered it. If youve done damage, its closing the door after the horse has bolted and it'll take longer.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
53 with no history of knee issues. Play football regular and have a quite high standard of fitness.
I'd suspect some arthritis or meniscus damage in that case unfortunately. Go get checked by the sports injury physio
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Pain behind the knee means saddle too high. Drop it a few mm and take it easy, Bakers cysts usually clear up in 6 months.
 
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Gixxerman

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
Well I have been to see the sports injury clinic and it is good news. He believes that it is not a Baker's cyst. He is almost certain it is a popliteus muscle strain. I had 20 minutes of shortwave radio treatment and advised on some stretches to do. So moderate activity, stretches and anti-inflamtories are the order of the day. He reckons 2-3 weeks and it should have recovered. Not sure it is saddle too high as I spent most of the time out of the saddle and standing on the pegs. I will check it though. Thanks to everyone for the advice. I should have listened to my body and not my head and called it a day after lap 2. Sigh, when will I ever learn, I'm not 25 anymore.
 

Zofo

Veteran
Location
Leicester
In general pain in the back of the knee is associated with a saddle height that is slightly too high I had a similar issue couple of years ago and just pushed the saddle down 5mm and the problem resolved itself – give it a try
 
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Gixxerman

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
Well an update. It is now 5 months later and I still have the pain. So I got another sports injury place to have a look at it (for a second opinion sort of). He has diagnosed sciatica and again gave me some stretchs to do. I feel a bit dissapointed as I expected some treatment that would have gone some way to fixing it. Maybe the "engineer" in me is expecting too much and wants a miracle cure. Anyway I am kind of losing faith with all this and might go and see the GP. However, I don't hold out much hope as GP's are normally useless for these types of things. I am so frustrated as my usual high physical activity lifestyle is taken a real hit, which has lead to a small amount of weight gain, and that has affected my mental mood too. I just want to get back to my usual level of fitness.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Unless you have the sort of sciatic nerve impingement that requires urgent intervention, stretches are the best way to go for a while. I’ve also found deep tissue massage and acupuncture useful for past back related issues which a sports physio can help with
GP will probably not be able to offer much more unless a specialist referral warranted (which the physio would have indicated already)

Good luck, unfortunately patience needed
If you want to keep active, you could try swimming (crawl or backstroke for back rehab not breaststroke)
 
If I remember rightly you've got some hamstring insertion points by the popliteus. I've had trouble in this area myself. General hamstring stretches helped me but what helped me most was foam rolling the area at the back and above my knee whilst pointing my toes to work the muscles either side. It really depends on what is causing it though. What worked for me may not help you but I have definitely found that most pain in and around the knee is caused by other muscle groups affecting the insertion points around the knee and most muscles insert there so it's no surprise.

I'd tried several physios and GP referrals before I bought myself a book, the anatomy of stretching, which illustrates all the muscles and what stretches help them and also watched some youtube videos on foam rolling and bough myself a foam roller, a stick roller and some pressure point balls. All this got my left knee working again and recently sorted out my right knee. However I also had patella tendonitis in my right knee and nothing but time and drugs sorted that. So if it is tendonitis, then only rest will cure it and a slow return to excercise. It's taken 3 months for my tendonitis to settle.
 
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