# Tightness behind the knees



## mikefm101 (Feb 18, 2009)

Hi,

Last August I was stupid and played tennis too long. It really messed up my knees, saw a sports doc and everything. 

After a month off the bike I rode a little bit but was still in pain. In early November I decided to just give everything a rest and didn't do any cardio at all until yesterday.

I still get (although not as bad as a few months ago) a real tighteness or swelling of something in the back of my knee. That is, not behind the patella, but on the back side of the leg...the "knee pit" as it were.

What is causing this? Is there a stretch I can do before/after? I did some web searches on this but it really wasn't clear if what I was reading was what I have. It is an odd feeling. 

After a 30 minute trainer ride the rest of the right knee becomes somewhat stiff if it isn't moved for awhile. That happened last fall, too, but not as bad as now. Hopefully that will clear up but if not I may go for a cortisone injection by months end. 

Mike


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Try lowering your saddle by 1cm?


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## sdeeer (Aug 12, 2008)

I ended up with a baker's cyst on my left posterior knee. Rest, no running, and ice, pretty much got rid of it. The MRI showed no damage. I hope that it does not come back this next season as my intensity comes back up.


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## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

pretender said:


> Try lowering your saddle by 1cm?


Agree. I had a Baker's Cyst caused by pushing too hard after raising my saddle too much.

Sdeeer - It took me a full year+ to get totally over it. When I raise my saddle too high now, I notice the posterior knee soreness after one ride.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

The general rule of thumb when it comes to knee pain:

Pain at the front of the knee....raise the saddle
Pain at the back of the knee....lower the saddle

This is a general rule and doesn't always apply, but most of the time solves the issue. With that said it sounds like the pain is mostly in your right knee....which could indicate a leg length imbalance which could require cleat shims and or a cleat fitting by somebody that knows what they are doing.

I have approximately 1cm of shims under my left cleat due to a leg length imbalance which has helped balance things out...though I could still use another 1mm or 2mm more, but then it gets to crazy lengths.


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

I am finaly cured after 5 years off due to 3 knee surger, for me when ever I had pain in that area it was from swelling I could always tell when I did my quad streatch it was painfull and lack of flexibility'


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## Raven1911 (Apr 28, 2002)

There are many things that can cause this from a meniscus tear to tight calves to a bakers cyst. You would know if it was a Baker's Cyst as there would be a palpable mass behind the knee and it would be pretty tender. Doesn't sound like you have something like that. I would check and see if you have any meniscus problems through an Ortho doc or Physical Therapist in your area. 

Another cause might be simple calf tightness or a muscle in the back of the knee called the popliteus muscle often gets really tight or develops tendonitis. Look into both of those as well.


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