Patients with unexplained knee pain, especially behind the knee, often wonder what is causing their discomfort and how they can treat it. At Reflex Knee Specialists, we provide knee-focused diagnosis and treatment services for a range of knee conditions and knee injuries. Our knee clinic is committed to offering non-surgical knee pain treatments to help patients in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona live actively without pain. Here, we discuss pain behind the knee, its common causes, and conservative treatments offered at Reflex Knee Specialists.
Common Causes of Pain Behind the Knee
The knee is the largest joint in the body and has many components that help it work correctly. When one or more parts are not working as they should, whether from injury or a condition, it can lead to knee pain and reduced range of motion. Patients who experience pain behind their knee may suffer from:
Arthritis
Knee arthritis is a joint condition that leads to chronic inflammation around the knee, often causing patients to experience pain around and behind the knee. Other symptoms include stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion. The most common type of knee arthritis is osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition characterized by chronic inflammation, which causes knee cartilage to destabilize and break down. In advanced cases of osteoarthritis, the cartilage loss is complete and results in the bones rubbing against each other (“bone on bone”), resulting in intense pain during movement.
Torn Ligament
The ligaments in the knee help connect the thigh bone to the tibia and keep the joint stable. There are four knee ligaments: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Injuries to these ligaments can cause knee pain, instability, and swelling. Specifically, ACL and PCL tears can lead to pain behind the knee.
Baker’s Cyst
A baker’s cyst, a pocket of fluid that builds up in the backside of the knee, is another common cause of pain behind the knee. Generally, baker’s cysts are not too noticeable at first and do not cause much pain. However, as the cyst increases in size, it can press on the surrounding tendons and nerves, causing pain, pressure, and swelling.
Meniscus Tear
A tear of the meniscus, a circular piece of fibro-cartilage on both sides of the knee, can lead to pain behind the knee. Meniscus tears often happen during sports or exercise because motions like twisting, squatting, or bending can put too much stress on the tissue. Other symptoms of a meniscus tear include instability, swelling, reduced flexibility, and locking of the knee.
Since many injuries and conditions can lead to pain behind the knee and some require long-term treatment or management, patients should work with their knee doctor to diagnose the cause and rule out other conditions.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Knee Pain Relief
Don’t let knee pain stop you from being active and enjoying the things you love — there are ways to treat knee pain without resorting to costly and unnecessary surgeries. At Reflex Knee Specialists, we know that non-surgical treatments are enough to treat knee pain in many cases. That’s why we provide cutting-edge, non-surgical treatment options to our patients. These treatments include:
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a non-surgical way to help treat pain in and behind the knee, especially in cases of osteoarthritis and sports injuries. Physical therapists use techniques such as manual therapy, massage, strengthening exercises, and more to help patients build muscle, improve range of motion, and reduce stress on the knee.
Injection Therapy
Injection therapies are a treatment option for patients with chronic or recurrent knee pain that has not improved with other conservative treatment options. It involves injecting substances into the knee to provide pain and symptom relief. Reflex Knee Specialists offers the following injection therapies:
- Joint fluid therapy: This knee therapy injects naturally occurring hyaluronic acid into the knee joint of osteoarthritis patients to decrease pain and inflammation and to improve lubrication and protective cushioning to the underlying cartilage.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): This therapy uses a concentrated sample of the patient’s blood containing growth factors is injected into the knee using ultrasound guidance to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.
- Ozone joint therapy: Specialists use this therapy for patients with osteoarthritis pain. It involves an injection of ozone gas in the knee to reduce pain and inflammation.
Ozone joint therapy has shown an enhanced benefit in studies when combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and hyaluronic acid treatments. With all these treatments available at Reflex Knee Specialists, patients with pain behind the knee can access innovative treatment options close to home.
Patients also may be advised to take anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling or to make lifestyle changes like losing weight to reduce stress on the knees.
Request an Appointment at Reflex Knee Specialists Today
Pain behind the knee does not have to interrupt your activities and life. Get help from Reflex Knee Specialists, where we provide patients in Portland, OR, Bellevue, WA, and Tempe, AZ, with conservative treatment options to heal knee pain without unnecessary surgery. To get back to being active without pain, contact us at 503-719-6783 or book a consultation with an expert at Reflex Knee Specialists today.