# pain behind the knee?



## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

About 1.5 weeks ago I decided to do some indoor training on my trainer, so I hooked my bike in and started to pedal away. I've never really used the indoor trainer, so I followed the included Spinnerval Training DVD with three 30-minute workouts. I followed the 30 minute Technique workout which included about 2 minutes of pedaling in 10-20s intervals with individual pedals, which I've never done before. The workout was for 30 minutes on the trainer and it didn't seem that hard. Later that night I awoke with terrible pain behind my right knee and it felt like my upper calf was incredibly tight. The next day I stretched it some and it got slightly better but never went away. Last night I stretched my calfs and then did a crossed leg stretch to ease some lower back pain. MAN today does it hurt behind my right knee, which has never bothered me before. I could barely walk this morning and I cannot do a leg curl with my right leg. For the leg curl I can't even get my foot off the ground without intense pain behind the knee. FYI I have a tight ITB in my left leg and I do stretches to control it and this pain is not that. Shape wise I'm in OK shape and would be considered a citizen type racer. My bike was professionally fitted a few years ago, although my seat could be slightly to high. Can anyone give insight as to what's causing my behind the knee pain and what I can do to help it.


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## n810 (Jun 11, 2009)

Torn or pulled Miniscus?

I have a torn minuscus in my right knee and I have similar issues. Try to squat down and "walk" on your toes. If you cant squat all the way without it hurting like a mofo that could be it. Did you hear a pop at anytime?


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## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

I can walk on my toes with some very minor muscle tightness in the upper calf, but trying to squat all the way down does cause intense pain behind my knee. when squating I can only get my legs parallel to the ground then the pain is intense. If this helps; when I wake up in the morning I can barelly walk, but as the day goes on it loosens up a little. The pain is so intense now it makes my calf feel numb, I'm beginning to think a dr visit is in order. No stretching helps and if anything it makes the pain worse.


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## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

I forgot to mention I can walk up the stairs without pain, but not down.


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## MTBigSky (May 26, 2008)

Try this test. It's called the Thessaly's test. Stand with hand support using a countertop or tabletop. Stand only on the injured leg. Bend that knee to about 5 degrees and rotate your body back and forth and repeat at 20 degrees. Repeat 3-5 times in each direction you turn This tests for a torn meniscus. See if you get pain at the knee and if you get sense of locking or catching at the knee. If it does it could be a menisus tear.

Do you have swelling behind your knee. If you do, the increased swelling can place pressure on the nerve going down the back of your knee into the calf which can cause numbness. Your knee has bursas and they could be inflammed a little. Best to check with your MD.


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## n810 (Jun 11, 2009)

yep sounds like a Dr. visit.

My pain isnt that bad but that pretty much sums it up. I was doing lunges to strengthen it up but when the Dr. said it was torn he had me stop. Too much strain can mess it up more. That may be your stair pain. I havent been able to run at full speed for awhile and jumping is another story. That hurts. For now I need to just hang back and be nice to it. 

I didnt need surgery...yet. I hear if you do get surgerized it doesnt always stay fixed.:madman:


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## 11053 (Sep 19, 2009)

I'm not a doctor, but I like to play one on Internet forums.....

Unexplained calf pain can be no big deal or it can be something REALLY serious.

To get an idea of the legit range of possibility go and Google "strained calf muscle" and then also Google "deep vein thrombosis". 

Go to the doctor, get it figured out, and then decide on the course to take to get back on the bike.

Best of luck.


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## DavidR1 (Jul 7, 2008)

Go see a Dr. Don't put it off or you could be off the bike for many months. Hopefully some physical therapy will correct the issue for you.


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## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

The pain was so bad I couldn't walk getting out of bed Monday AM. I got in to see the Dr at 10am and she is a pretty good general practitioner. There is no bruising or significant swelling behind the knee and she did a lot of feeling and having me move around and stretching to see what was causing the pain. She said it's not miniscus damage and it's strained tendons and hamstring. She said ice after work and before bed and take 600-800 milligrams of ibuprofin with food 3 times a day for about 1.5 weeks. The pain is the worst at night when sleeping and in the morning because I guess it tightens up. The ibru helps a lot and after it loosens up a bit in the morning I can hobble around with much less pain. I usually heal pretty fast so hopefully after a few weeks things will be good. Thanks for all your suggestions.

The funny thing is that last year on Columbus Day I crashed and fractured 3 ribs and had some shoulder separation, what is it about this time of year?


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## DrF035 (Aug 16, 2007)

maybe a herniated disk ?


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## BBW (Feb 25, 2004)

> although my seat could be slightly to high


high seat cause pain in the back of the knee... check this out. Also, the calf muscle's insertion is in the back of the knee so if you strained your calf, you will feel pain there.
There are many more possibilities, hope U get better


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## Hellrazor666 (Oct 27, 2008)

baraant said:


> The pain was so bad I couldn't walk getting out of bed Monday AM. I got in to see the Dr at 10am and she is a pretty good general practitioner. There is no bruising or significant swelling behind the knee and she did a lot of feeling and having me move around and stretching to see what was causing the pain. She said it's not miniscus damage and it's strained tendons and hamstring. She said ice after work and before bed and take 600-800 milligrams of ibuprofin with food 3 times a day for about 1.5 weeks. The pain is the worst at night when sleeping and in the morning because I guess it tightens up. The ibru helps a lot and after it loosens up a bit in the morning I can hobble around with much less pain. I usually heal pretty fast so hopefully after a few weeks things will be good. Thanks for all your suggestions.
> 
> The funny thing is that last year on Columbus Day I crashed and fractured 3 ribs and had some shoulder separation, what is it about this time of year?


Good luck !!! I don't trust general practitioners but that is me.If not better in that tame frame she gave you go see an ortho


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## Engberg (Jan 17, 2008)

The medial hamstring muscle could be strained due to the single leg pedalling. It doesn't sound like a meniscus to me... Wait and see how the ibu works, go see a PT and get some hamstring tendon exercises when the pan gets less...

-Jeppe, PT.


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## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

Engberg, thanks. You are probably correct and the ibo worked great after 1 week of 800mg 3 times a day the pain is gone. Now at 47 I finally realize I need to warm up, stretch, exercise, then stretch again. Well I can't complain I made it this far without wasting time on any of that so far, oh well I guess it's all part of getting wiser and older.


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## <sL4yEr>RuLz (Apr 24, 2004)

I just stumbled into this thread. Sound's like I'm having the exact, same issue on my left knee, only slightly less painfull. Mostly just aches at night. I think mine came from skimboarding (not an easy sport for an older guy). No matter what I do, I just can't seem to stretch the trouble spot. The cross-legged stretch really seems to bother it. Anyone else have stretches that work?


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## baraant (Feb 25, 2005)

I've done quite a bit of stretching throughout my life generally after a hard workout and at the time of this behind the knee and upper calf pain there was no stretch at all that would help, and if anything the pain got worse. The only thing that helped was taking an non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID) for 1 week. I'm pretty sure that for ibuprofen you need to take 800mg, 4 of the regular over the counter pills, 3 times a day for it to become an NSAID. Good luck.


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