# Pain from the back of the knee area



## WaynefromOrlando

I completed a Century ride last Sunday and from about the 50 mile mark I started feeling tightness and some pain from the back of my right knee area. The ride was somewhat hilly, about as much as it gets in central FL, with about 3800 total ft of climbing.

I have done several 60-80 mile training rides, with some hills, without having this problem in the past. 

Has anyone else run into that problem? Two days later it is still very tight, affecting the calf and back part of my thigh and making it hard to walk without a limp. I'm thinking that maybe I might need to move my cleats, or simply HTFU and do more hills, but it would be nice to hear if anyone else had the problem and what they did to prevent it from occuring.

Thanks in advance for any comments in this thread!


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## Oxtox

I am currently experiencing pressure and pain on the back side of my knee.

the Dr. says it's symptomatic of a Baker's cyst. treatment is rest, ice, NSAIDs. self-massage seems to help a little.

he mentioned surgery as an option if the pain becomes unbearable.


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## WaynefromOrlando

Thanks for the input. I'm not sure if that's what causing my pain, this was a first and none of my earlier rides, including rides though the same hills, has brought on this kind of pain. Pain, yes, but not this kind!


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## ragweed

Sounds like at this point you're injured and in need of some RICE. 

But once healed up you can try what I do when I have had a similar symptom. Note in my case I have gotten the pain behind the knee (and upper calf) only while riding and not walking around so it was not at the point of being an acute injury. 

My fix has been to use a tennis ball and do some self trigger-point therapy by laying my leg on the ball and rolling the affected area on top of the ball, occasionally stopping and pressing down when I hit a very tender area. Placing the ball on top of a block helps to get even more leverage. 

The idea is that with a sudden change in riding intensity a small injury occurs and the resulting scar tissue causes tight areas, which the pressure from the ball helps to break down. But whatever the reason it's worked for me and now I routinely use this method (along with a roller for other areas) as part of my post-ride recovery workout.


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## drummerboy1248

I've had pain in that area. Does not sound like it was as bad as your's. Maybe yours is more of an injury and mine an irritation? I noticed that it seemed to be more of an issue when climbing and really happened early in the season. I looked at bike fit and made some minor adjustments. I moved the saddle slightly forward and lowered it just a bit, effectively shortening the stroke and preventing over extending. I later looked at my pedaling form and worked on keeping my heel down over the top of the stroke and was able to raise the saddle back to where I'd had it.I also talked to a sports physiologist friend and he said it was likely caused by overstressing that area to compensate for weakness in another area. I started doing some leg extension machines in the gym along with squats and leg press. I also started riding a gear lower to take some muscle tension off and increased cadence. Since it happened early in the year and the above steps eventually resulted in it going away, I think my friend was right. I had lost some overall leg strength over the winter, and upon starting some climbing training rides, the pain started. I pulled back a bit and built the legs back up and no more pain. At this time of the year, I don't know that this could be your issue though. But maybe if the workload was higher than you are accustomed to. You did mention it was hillier than you normally do and longer.


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## WaynefromOrlando

Thanks for all the comments! I had a bad cramp on the Thursday after the initial problem showed up after a Sunday ride and was forced to go to the Dr. on Friday. They found that I had torn a muscle initially and tore a blood vessel on Thursday night when I experienced a major cramp in that muscle. 

I'm not too happy about that, I'm off the bike for at least 2 weeks, no running or anything like trail riding or trail running for about a month. This is the first injury of that type that I have ever experience and it is an eye opener; getting old suks big time!


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## Greg Smalter

Pain in the back of the knee can mean the saddle is too high. The fact that most people slide back in the saddle while climbing, and that many saddles slope up toward the back support this possibility.


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## nortonian

I just bought a bike and started riding a couple of weeks ago and have been riding approx. 25 miles 3-4 times a week at a brisk pace. I've had an aching pain behind my right knee since I started, that I had never felt before. It continues between rides and is further aggravated when I ride the next time. I had been hoping to get some miles in before the days get too short, but I guess I'd better slow down.

I swim almost everyday and try to stretch out after swimming my laps. That seems to help.


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## johntrek5

I went through/am going through a similar situation. I am currently at about 3,800 miles for the year. No problems until my 4th century on Oct. 10. I bought a new bike in Sept, and this was my first century on the new bike. At about 30 miles in, I started feeling something. At 50 miles I was in pretty good pain. I never said I was very smart, so I kept going, as I was focused on finishing. By 70 miles or so I was in excrutiationg pain and considered SAG ing out, but did not. I finished with 107 miles, and could barely walk. This was the first problem I have ever had, and as I have said this was my fourth century this year, but as I said the first on the new bike.  I gave it a week off the bike, and did some short 20 mile rides, with little or no pain. I just figured I was sore from the century. I tried a 50 mile and BAM, same thing. Sharp knee pain. I went and had an MRI done. It was negative, except for some minor bursitis. No big deal. I then went and had a pro fit done, where they use the DARTFISH computer system. Turns out my seat was way high. He froze the video and my toes were pointed straight down just trying to reach the bottom of the crank on the downstroke. They also figured out I needed wedges in my left shoe(same one as the problem side). I was embaressed my bike was that out of adjustment. They also reset my cleats, and made a few other adjustments. Now it is like when you sleep on a new mattress the first time. You can't believe you slept in the old one. My recomendation is everyone who is doing centuries, and riding seriously, spend the money and get a qualified fit.


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## Doggity

Better take it easy, or you'll end up like me. Been off the bike for two months now with hamstring tendonitis, with no end in sight. Get it fixed, now, and don't push too soon, too fast like I did.


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## vontress

Knee pain seems like a common complaint. It usually seems to be improper fitting bike. Maybe as little as cleat position. My fitter said it's his #1 coolant he gets. I also experienced this last year during a double century. It was an IT band issue from over training. Solved with rest, ice and a good roller


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