Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
How Can Severe Pain Behind The Knee Post An Injury Be Treated And Managed?
Question: My wife has severe pain behind the knee. She made a bad step a couple of weeks ago and feels that she may have pulled something. It seemed to be better but she walked around the block earlier and is now in severe pain when she tries to move her leg
Brief Answer:
Possible causes discussed and recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If there is no swelling or redness in the leg than the pain at the back of the knee can be caused by two main conditions:
1. Baker's cyst- this is a structure (sac) at the back of the knee filled with joint fluid that can burst and cause severe pain which is worse when the patient walks.
2. Hamstring muscle strain- hamstring muscle is at the back of the thigh and attaches close to the knee joint and may cause pain that is worse on walking and when trying to band your knee.
None of these two conditions is urgent and she can try to treat them with pain killers. Aleve (Ibuprofen) is a good choice. If she doesn't have problems with the stomach then she can take 600 mg every 6 hours after food to have a good effect on pain and inflammation at the area. Taking paracetamol 500 mg at the same time with ibuprofen will help support the effect of ibuprofen and the pain control. Cold compresses might be of help if there is strong pain.
Meanwhile i would recommend her to see her doctor so he can examine her knee structures (ligaments, meniscus, the muscles around) and structures around and determines which is the exact cause. If the pain is due to muscular strain, a physiotherapist might be recommended as he may give her valuable exercises to help muscles relax and also to strengthen them.
If the leg is swollen or red than please see a doctor as soon as possible. This would be important to rule out thrombosis of the veins that run through the area and needs to be diagnosed on time.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Possible causes discussed and recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If there is no swelling or redness in the leg than the pain at the back of the knee can be caused by two main conditions:
1. Baker's cyst- this is a structure (sac) at the back of the knee filled with joint fluid that can burst and cause severe pain which is worse when the patient walks.
2. Hamstring muscle strain- hamstring muscle is at the back of the thigh and attaches close to the knee joint and may cause pain that is worse on walking and when trying to band your knee.
None of these two conditions is urgent and she can try to treat them with pain killers. Aleve (Ibuprofen) is a good choice. If she doesn't have problems with the stomach then she can take 600 mg every 6 hours after food to have a good effect on pain and inflammation at the area. Taking paracetamol 500 mg at the same time with ibuprofen will help support the effect of ibuprofen and the pain control. Cold compresses might be of help if there is strong pain.
Meanwhile i would recommend her to see her doctor so he can examine her knee structures (ligaments, meniscus, the muscles around) and structures around and determines which is the exact cause. If the pain is due to muscular strain, a physiotherapist might be recommended as he may give her valuable exercises to help muscles relax and also to strengthen them.
If the leg is swollen or red than please see a doctor as soon as possible. This would be important to rule out thrombosis of the veins that run through the area and needs to be diagnosed on time.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards,
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
