When you’re experiencing pain in any part of your leg, such as your knee, it can make you want to stay off your feet all day. But did you know that the average American walks up to 4,000 steps a day? If you feel an ache behind your knee while you’re walking, each of those steps can make you wince in pain.
If you’re feeling pain behind your knee when you’re walking, it’s not easy to ignore. That’s why it’s important to determine the cause of your knee pain so that you can properly treat it and get back to your regular physical activities.
We’ll talk about the basics of knee pain, potential reasons that you’re experiencing pain behind the knee while walking and how a physical therapist can help.
The basics of knee pain
Knee pain is a common issue that everyone experiences every now and then from everyday occurrences such as standing for too long to strenuous leg exercises. There are also many people who deal with knee pain for weeks, or even months at a time. In fact, approximately 1 in every 4 adults are affected by chronic knee pain.
Knee pain is often associated with other symptoms that can interfere with your quality of life, including:
- Stiffness.
- Swelling.
- Instability.
- Inability to straighten your leg.
- Tingling sensation.
Possible reasons for pain behind the knee when walking
There are many potential reasons that you could be experiencing pain behind your knee as you walk. While some instances of the pain are temporary, persistent or worsening pain can be a sign of an injury or medical condition that needs further medical assistance and treatment.
Here are some potential explanations for feeling pain behind your knee while walking:
- Osteoarthritis — The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease that causes the joint cartilage to gradually break down over time. It can affect nearly every joint in the body, including the knee. Osteoarthritis in the knee can cause pain behind the knee while walking due to stiffness from inflammation.
- Sciatica — Your sciatic nerve runs from your lower back and down both legs. When this nerve becomes pinched, it’s called sciatica, referring to pain that radiates down the back of your leg, including behind the knee. Sciatica pain can also cause weakness when trying to bend your knee.
- Ligament injury — The most commonly injured knee ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament located in the center of the knee joint. It can be overstretched or torn while playing sports that involve quickly stopping or changing directions, such as basketball. An ACL injury can cause many symptoms, including pain behind the knee while walking.
- Baker’s cyst — A Baker’s cyst refers to a fluid-filled sac that can form behind the knee. While it often starts off small, it can grow up to the size of a tennis ball, causing tightness. It’s often the result of torn cartilage or arthritis that causes a buildup of lubricating fluid.
How physical therapy can help pain behind the knee when walking
Not being able to walk without feeling a pain behind your knee can make it difficult for you to carry out your regular responsibilities. But the good news is that physical therapy has a variety of treatments that can help alleviate the pain, accelerate your healing process and improve your knee’s overall function.
Your physical therapist will determine which treatments will be the most effective for the cause of your pain as well as the severity of your symptoms.
One of the pillars of physical therapy is therapeutic exercises. Your physical therapist will walk you through safe and effective stretches that will increase your joint’s flexibility and range of motion to reduce the pain behind the knee when you walk. They can also show you exercises that will strengthen the affected muscles to increase stability and decrease the risk of future injury.
Another common course of action is manual therapy, which refers to hands-on techniques. Soft tissue mobilization can be an effective technique for knee pain because the pain is often caused by an injury, leading to scar tissue. The therapist is able to gently break up the scar tissue with massage-like movements to release the tension and increase the joint’s range of motion.
Panther Physical Therapy can treat pain behind the knee when walking
When you’re feeling pain behind your knee while you walk, it can make you want to just stay off your feet completely. But with the help of physical therapy techniques like targeted exercises and soft tissue mobilization, you can alleviate the ache and restore your mobility.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.