Knee pain in the hollow of the knee
Possible causes for the development of pain in the back of the knee can be age-related as well as sport-related overstrain.Particularly in young patients, pain in the back of the knee (pain in the hollow of the knee) is primarily indicative of sporting overloading. In older patients, on the other hand, it can be assumed that there is probably a wear and tear disorder. In this context, the so-called “Baker’s cyst” is one of the most frequent signs of wear and tear.
The main cause for the development of such a Baker’s cyst is the increased production of synovial fluid in the knee joint. This phenomenon can be observed especially in people who suffer from arthrosis or an underlying inflammatory disease (for example rheumatoid arthritis). In addition, the formation of a Baker’s cyst with pain in the back of the knee is particularly common in people who have a longstanding meniscus damage.
Patients suffering from a Baker’s cyst usually experience recurring pain in the back of the knee (pain in the hollow of the knee), which can radiate into the calf. In some cases, however, there is no pain, but only a feeling of tension at the back of the knee. The pain perceived by the affected patient at the back of the knee may already be present at rest.
Typical for the presence of a Baker’s cyst, however, is the increase in pain when the knee joint is under stress. The reason for this is the fact that the Baker’s cyst swells considerably during walking and running, thus leading to increasing symptoms. The diagnosis “Baker’s cyst” for pain in the back of the knee can usually be made by looking at the patient’s medical history, the symptoms and a brief physical examination.
In addition, an ultrasound examination of the hollow of the knee can help to confirm the suspected diagnosis. The treatment of the Baker’s cyst can be performed non-surgically (conservatively) or surgically. However, in patients who refuse surgical treatment of the Baker’s cyst, a complete healing can be almost excluded.
Surgical removal of the Baker’s cyst is the only measure that provides long-term relief from pain in the back of the knee. Another cause of pain in the back of the knee is damage to the inner or outer meniscus. Typically, pain occurs when there is meniscus damage either on the right or left side of the back of the knee.
The pain behind the knee caused by meniscus damage takes on a pulling or stabbing character and increases in intensity, especially during rotary movements. Furthermore, pain at the back of the knee can be associated with so-called “biceps tendon tendon dinosis”. Biceps tendon endinosis is an inflammatory disease of the biceps tendon.
In this case, the pain experienced by the affected patients at the back of the knee is typically load-dependent and assumes a pulling character. In addition, a thrombosis in the area of the pelvic vessels or the legs can lead to pain that radiates into the hollow of the knee. The treatment of pain in the back of the knee depends primarily on the underlying disease. and pain in the calf and hollow of the knee
