The knee contributes a lot when it comes to the movement of the body. A great deal of lower body locomotion hinges on the knee. When one experiences back of knee pain, a lot of complications arise. Most of the people who have back of knee pain are middle-aged or old as the body gradually deterioriates over time. However, young adults can also experience this kind of condition as a result of overexerting the knee to the point of discomfort and inflammation.
Several symptoms occuring with the pain are swelling, locking, general weakness, bruising, stiffness, instability, and limited movement.There are several potential reasons as to why one experiences pain in the back of the knee. Here are some of the common ones:
- Injury –athletes or physically active individuals often experience back of knee pain due to a tear or a sprain in the ligament supporting the knee. A meniscal tear ( a tear in the knee cartilage) is also often the result of an injury. Also, Jumper’s knee or the inflammation of the patellar tendon which comes from doing heavy activity without proper exercises can also cause trauma and pain to the knee.
- Obesity(having a BMI over 28 ) and Malnutrition –excess weight increases pressure on the knee; also, both obesity and malnutrion causes degeneration of tissues on the joint of the knee. Read more about obesity and knee pain here.
- Weak leg muscles –one can experience pain due to inadequate support weak muscles give while performing heavy tasks
- Overexertion – lack of warm-up or improper stretching before vigorous exercise and overusing the knee without giving it a chance to recover often leads to pain or worse, injury.
- Arthritis –with or without physical activity, the inflammation of the surfaces of the joint can both limit movement and cause back of knee pain
- Baker’s cyst –common with the elderly, this is an accumulation of fluid in the area behind the knee
Considering, the role of the knee in movement, unmanaged pain behind the knee can result in a lot of complications such as: limited mobility causing normal activity to become difficult; stiffness in the joints; swelling and weakness; edema; discoloration of the skin over the joint; and soreness that may extend to the lower limb.
There are also several cures to back of knee pain: low-impact stretching and stabilizing exercises help condition the knees; knee braces also help lessen strain and stress in the area; maintaining a healthy weight can relieve the knees of pressure that can tear the cartilage of the knees. Also, if the pain is minor, pain-killers (anti-inflammatory and anti-steroidal) which can be bought over the counter can help but these only remove the pain not cure it. However, intense and complicated conditions involving infections and bone damage must be handled by a trusted medical personnel as it involves invasive surgeries.
Moreover, it is important to seek help from health care providers as they know more regarding issues pertaining to the knee and its possible injuries and the appropriate treatment that one must undergo in order to correct the damage or to help mitigate it.