Why does the back of my knee hurt when I straighten my leg?
Why does the back of my knee hurt when I straighten my leg?
The back of the knee may hurt when a person straightens their leg because of a variety of issues, including blood clots, muscle or tendon injuries, arthritis, or cysts. Physical therapy, rest, and pain medications are common treatments for many of these causes, but sometimes a person will need surgery treat the issue.
Why can’t I straighten my leg when exercising?
And so, for the most part, what happens is people who can’t straighten their legs in navasana don’t have enough flexibility in the hamstrings and/or strength in their quadriceps to maintain the length in the hamstrings during a posture like navasana.
How do you know if you tore something in your knee?
Symptoms
- A popping sensation.
- Swelling or stiffness.
- Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.
- Difficulty straightening your knee fully.
- Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it.
- Feeling of your knee giving way.
Can’t fully extend knee?
When you can’t fully extend the knee, we doctors call that an “extension lag”. We also usually measure that in degrees. So 10 degrees of extension lag means that the knee is bent 10 degrees in flexion and won’t extend any further.
Can bend but can’t straighten knee?
Some of the problems that could cause a locked knee include meniscus tears or a torn ACL. The key is to determine whether you can’t straighten your knee due to sheer pain or physical blockage. If you feel blocked, then we recommend getting in touch with a doctor sooner rather than later.
Can you walk with a torn meniscus?
A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
How long does it take for a strained meniscus to heal?
Symptoms of a meniscus tear or strain Typically, mild meniscus tears heal within two to three weeks. Symptoms of moderate meniscus tears or strains: Pain at the side or center of the knee. Stiffness.
Will ice help a torn meniscus?
Treatment for meniscal tears focuses on keeping pain and inflammation under control. RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, is the standard treatment. For the first few days after injury, ice should be applied every three or four hours for 30 minutes.
Can a torn meniscus cause pain down the leg?
Immediate pain after the injury. In these instances, the tearing of the meniscus is typically accompanied by the feeling of a pop or snap within the leg during an overexerting twisting or stretching motion.
Can you bend your knee if you have a torn meniscus?
You can fully bend and straighten your knee without pain. You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump. Your knee is no longer swollen. Your injured knee is as strong as your uninjured knee.
How can you tell the difference between a meniscus tear and arthritis?
The biggest difference between arthritis and a torn meniscus is whether the pain developed over time or following an injury. If your knee pain increases gradually and cannot be placed back to a specific injury you may have arthritis. If your knee pain arose suddenly, you may have a meniscus tear.
Is ice or heat better for torn meniscus?
During the first 3 days after the injury, your doctor may recommend applying ice to your knee 3 times a day for 15 minutes at a time to reduce swelling. After this, applying a heating pad or another heat source, such as a heat wrap, can increase blood flow to the injured area and speed healing.
How do you treat an inflamed meniscus?
To speed the recovery, you can:
- Rest the knee.
- Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling.
- Compress your knee.
- Elevate your knee with a pillow under your heel when you’re sitting or lying down.
- Take anti-inflammatory medications.
- Use stretching and strengthening exercises to help reduce stress to your knee.