What is the back of your knee called?

The shallow depression formed at the back of the knee is called the popliteal fossa; it is formed at the junction of the femur and tibia. There is a muscle here on the floor of the popliteal fossa which is the deepest muscle of the knee joint.
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What do you call the area behind your knee?

Description. The Popliteal Fossa is a diamond-shaped space behind the knee joint. It is formed between the muscles in the posterior compartments of the thigh and leg. This anatomical landmark is the major route by which structures pass between the thigh and leg.
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What is back of leg behind knee called?

Pain in the back of the knee, called the popliteal fossa, is common, but there is a wide range of causes, ranging from ligament injury to arthritis. Read More.
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What are the two things on the back of your knee?

The popliteal fossa (sometimes referred to as hough, or kneepit in analogy to the cubital fossa) is a shallow depression located at the back of the knee joint. The bones of the popliteal fossa are the femur and the tibia.
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Why does the tendon in the back of my knee hurt?

You may have torn your ACL, which connects the femur and the tibia and prevents the tibia from moving too far forward. Your knee will hurt and swell and feel unstable. You can tear or strain any of the tissues that hold your knee together: Ligaments connect bones to each other; tendons connect muscle to bone.
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What is Causing the Pain Behind Your Knee, How to Tell



Why does the back of my knee hurt after sitting?

Pain behind the knee after sitting for prolonged periods is often caused by arthritis. When we sit still, the fluid that lubricates the knee joint dries out slightly so when we then stand up, there is less cushioning.
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What ligaments are behind the knee?

They are:
  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This ligament is in the center of the knee. ...
  • Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). This ligament is in the back of the knee. ...
  • Medial collateral ligament (MCL). This ligament gives stability to the inner knee.
  • Lateral collateral ligament (LCL).
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How do you treat tendon pain behind the knee?

Lifestyle and home remedies
  1. Pain relievers. Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium may provide short-term pain relief.
  2. Avoid activity that causes pain. You may need to practice your sport less often or temporarily switch to a lower impact sport. ...
  3. Ice. Apply ice after activity that causes pain.
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What does PCL tear feel like?

When the PCL is torn, active patients may develop a feeling of knee instability or pain. This instability or pain may limit an active lifestyle and may cause injury to other structures of the knee. Injury to the PCL is much less common than injury to the ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament.
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What does a torn ligament behind the knee feel like?

Pain, often sudden and severe. A loud pop or snap during the injury. Swelling within the first 24 hours after the injury. A feeling of looseness in the joint.
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What does a pulled muscle behind the knee feel like?

General symptoms of a knee strain or sprain include: Swelling, pain and tenderness in and around the knee. Buckling of the knee. Trouble bending the leg.
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What muscle or tendon is behind the knee?

The popliteus is a small triangular muscle located at the back of your knee. It originates from your outer thigh bone (femur) and your meniscus and attaches to the back of your lower leg bone (tibia). Though it's small in size, it has a huge role in knee function!
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What does it mean when the back of your leg hurts behind the knee NHS?

A Baker's cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is a fluid-filled swelling that develops at the back of the knee. Credit: It's caused when the tissue behind the knee joint becomes swollen and inflamed.
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What happens if a Baker's cyst is left untreated?

Baker's cysts aren't dangerous and they may go away on their own. But occasionally they burst, and if that happens, synovial fluid can leak into the calf below, causing pain, swelling, and reddening.
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What does it mean when the back of your leg hurts behind the knee and calf?

Deep vein thrombosis, tendonitis, muscle spasm, and a Baker's cyst are some of the reasons of discomfort below or behind the knee and calf. Although these are frequent illnesses that might cause discomfort, other medical disorders can also cause discomfort in certain areas of the legs.
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How do you treat a Baker's cyst without surgery?

Self care
  1. take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, to reduce swelling and pain in the affected knee.
  2. hold an ice pack to your knee for 10-20 minutes to reduce any swelling – try a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel (never put ice directly on your skin)
  3. rest your knee joint.
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How do you know if you tore something behind your knee?

You might develop the following signs and symptoms in your knee: A popping sensation. Swelling or stiffness. Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.
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Why does my popliteal hurt?

Popliteal fossa pain is developed by a wide variety of causes. The most common causes are Baker's cyst, soft tissue or bone tumor and injury to the meniscus, hamstring, popliteal tendon or ligament.
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What does a popliteus injury feel like?

Popliteus injury symptoms

Pain at the back of your knee joint. Your knee will feel tender when pressing in at the back. It is likely to be painful when trying to bend your knee against resistance, whilst your tibia (shin bone) is rotated outwards.
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Can you sprain the back of your knee?

If you have a PCL sprain, the back of your knee may hurt, and it might be worse if you try to kneel on it. For LCL and MCL sprains, your knee may seem as though it wants to buckle toward the opposite direction from the injured ligament and will likely be tender where the injury happened.
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How do u know if u have a Baker's cyst?

In some cases, a Baker's cyst causes no pain, and you may not notice it.
...
If you do have signs and symptoms, they might include:
  1. Swelling behind your knee, and sometimes in your leg.
  2. Knee pain.
  3. Stiffness and inability to fully flex the knee.
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Can you still walk with a torn ligament in your knee?

In most cases, the injured person can still walk with the torn knee ligament. But the movement will be severely limited, not to mention painful. Surgery may be the best route to a pain-free life, with amazing success rates. If someone suspects a damaged ACL or MCL seek immediate medical attention.
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How do I know if I tore my PCL?

Symptoms of Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tears
  1. Sharp or dull pain around the back of the knee. ...
  2. Swelling. ...
  3. Stiffness. ...
  4. Difficulty bearing weight. ...
  5. Knee instability. ...
  6. The back of the knee may be warm to the touch. ...
  7. Tenderness around the knee joint. ...
  8. Knee tingling or numbness.
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Can a PCL tear heal itself?

PCL injuries are common in football, soccer, baseball, and skiing. PCL injuries are usually partial ligament tears, and typically heal on their own, without causing stability issues, so long as the knee is protected during healing, and there are no other knee joint injuries.
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How long does a PCL tear take to heal?

How long does a PCL injury take to heal? Recovery time can vary from person to person. If your injury is mild, it may only take about 10 days to heal. If you've had surgery to repair your PCL, recovery could take about six to nine months.
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