Feeling pain behind your knee every time you bend it can really make daily tasks harder. After all, bending your knee is vital to actions like putting on your pants and walking up stairs. 

Pain behind your knee is also known as posterior knee pain, and you could easily develop this type of pain. After all, medical researchers estimate that about 25% of adults develop frequent knee pain in their lifetime. A physical therapist can help you determine what’s causing the pain behind your knee when you’re bending it. In addition, these medical professionals can help you find effective treatment for your knee pain. 

Issues that can cause pain behind the knee while you’re bending it

The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human musculoskeletal system, and physical therapists are trained to treat this system. This knowledge allows your therapist to pinpoint the cause of your knee pain. Some common issues that typically cause posterior knee pain include: 

1. Knee bursitis — Bursae are small sacs of fluid that help reduce friction between bones and soft tissue. Your knee contains several of these structures. The semimembranosus bursa is one that’s located at the back of the knee. When it becomes inflamed, it can trigger posterior knee pain. 

2. Hamstring tendinitis — There are tendons that connect the hamstring muscles to your knee. Hamstring tendinitis occurs when these tendons become inflamed. This condition often leads to posterior knee pain, joint weakness and swelling behind the knee. 

3. Ligament injuries — Both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are located in the middle of the knee. Injuries to these ligaments can cause pain to radiate into the back of your knee.

What can physical therapists do to treat posterior knee pain?

Determining why you have pain behind your knee when bending it is just the first step in your recovery. Treating your knee issue and pain is the next step, and a physical therapist can help treat your posterior knee pain with techniques like: 

• Aquatic therapy designed to reduce pressure on your injured knee and help improve blood flow to healing soft tissue. 

• Therapeutic exercises that can stretch and strengthen your hamstring muscles. 

• Gait training intended to address underlying problems that triggered your knee pain. 

• Virtual therapy sessions that allow you to receive one-on-one physical therapy right from your home.

Rehab Access PT is ready to help treat your posterior knee pain

Tired of feeling pain behind your knee every time you’re bending it? Our team at Rehab Access Physical Therapy is ready and willing to help you treat your posterior knee pain. We can start by performing a free screening to determine the source of your pain. Then, our experienced physical therapists can build you a personalized therapy plan designed to: 

• Reduce pain.
• Increase joint flexibility and function.
• Improve your ability to do normal daily activities. 
• Decrease your risk of future knee injuries. 

Contact our team today for more information about all the knee pain services we offer or to schedule your initial appointment.