I have been nursing a sore hamstring. It seemed better today went out and ran and felt a little twinge behind the knee (maybe leading up into hamstring not sure). I stopped and walked (how pathetic) back. Wasnt sore when I was walking but hours later it’s sore. Have 1st IM in 5 weeks. Anyone know what this is? Suggestions? Help…lol
not an expert by any means but…
I recently had a similar issue. resulted from tight calves and hamstrings - a bit of rest, physio and aggressive rolling of all leg muscle groups resolved the issue. now I just try and roll regularly. also sitting with my leg crossed on my knee seems to really aggravate it.
Are you referring to the foam roller?
yep
.
I hope Im mis diagnosing myself but I think it’s the popliteus muscle which from what i’ve read in some other forums takes some time to heal…??
I had really bad popliteus or distal hamstring problems with both knees last fall and through the winter. Really screwed up my off-season base miles. By a strange coincidence, my mother came down with the same problem at the same time. In her case, it was possibly a tennis issue, or more likely from Argentine Tango (she’s very active in ballroom dancing). In my case, it was either caused by excessive use of Powercranks or by a modification of my running form. (Increased hamstring flexion, bringing heels up higher.)
I recovered (after several false starts with resting for a few days) by taking six weeks off from running and biking entirely, then being zealous about hamstring stretches when I resumed. Lost flexibility may have been a contributor, actually - the reason why I got the Powercranks in the first place was to rehab a knee injury from a bike crash. Popliteal issue was worse on opposite knee, BTW.
Mom did physical therapy for it, which included stretching, trigger point massage, and therapeutic ultrasound (the kind that generates heat in deep tissues). Both of us are pretty well recovered at this point, though we both found the healing process to be frustratingly slow. Perhaps the PT route would give you somewhat quicker results for your race.
Here’s an article I dug up on popliteal muscle injuries:
http://www.rocklandroadrunners.org/articles/JPKknees.html
(Oh, crap - I introduced the subject of Powercranks to your thread. Sorry, dude. I honestly don’t know why this crowd can discuss religion and politics calmly, but the mention of Powercranks brings out serious flames.)
(Oh, crap - I introduced the subject of Powercranks to your thread. Sorry, dude. I honestly don’t know why this crowd can discuss religion and politics calmly, but the mention of Powercranks brings out serious flames.)
Ok, so nobody responded to your Powercranks comment. I may be developing a similar problem, and I am a Powercranks user. Can you explain how the Powercranks can be implicated?
**Anyone know what this is? Suggestions? Help…lol **
Baker cyst?
Bernie
Had something similar happen to me not too long ago. Pain behind the left knee due to pulling too hard on the up stroke while cycling. A few friends and myself were doing a twice weekly time trial against each other, and one day after a particularly brutal session the pain started. I cured it with ice baths after all exercise except swimming, taking a few extra days a week off of running, no bike intervals for a while, and (probably the most important thing) trigger point massage therapy.
one month and I was all better. Oh, and don’t try to stretch it out… if it is a torn muscle you will only make it worse.
So try to find a good massage therapist certified in trigger point and deep tissue massage, and take it easy… with any luck this will turn out to be the best tapper you’ve hoped for and you’ll P.R your next event!
I had an strained popliteus/plantaris/semimembranosis/semitendinosis last summer before an IM. It took a long time to heal. I did the PT thing with e-stim, massage, exercise and stretching. It only improved after total rest of about 8 weeks. The other stuff seemed to keep it in a permanent state of irritation.
Ironically, I just aggravated it last week downhill skiing.
I had an strained popliteus/plantaris/semimembranosis/semitendinosis last summer before an IM. It took a long time to heal. I did the PT thing with e-stim, massage, exercise and stretching. It only improved after total rest of about 8 weeks. The other stuff seemed to keep it in a permanent state of irritation.
Ironically, I just aggravated it last week downhill skiing.
I certainly hope that’s not what I have. How did you make the diagnosis and what were your symptoms?
I have been nursing a sore hamstring. It seemed better today went out and ran and felt a little twinge behind the knee (maybe leading up into hamstring not sure). I stopped and walked (how pathetic) back. Wasnt sore when I was walking but hours later it’s sore. Have 1st IM in 5 weeks. Anyone know what this is? Suggestions? Help…lol
It could be tendonitis of the hamstring(s), a Baker’s cyst, a calf strain, a plantaris strain (not everybody has a plantaris, a vestigial muscle)–although these tend to be more painful, especially if they tear/rupture, and they cause calf pain, which apparently you do not have, or some other posterior knee issue. See the PT or chiro if you need to heal it faster.
My ortho made my diagnosis and prescribed PT. Again, I feel PT and treatment prolonged the healing process. Like picking at a scab.
Symptoms were general ache behind knee and sharp stabbing pain at times where hamstring tendons attach to posterior medial knee. Limited range of motion at flexion. Got better as I warmed up and less pain just after exercise completed. However, as I cooled down and particularly after leg bent for awhile like sitting for commute, pain and stiffness return.
Again, I feel PT and treatment prolonged the healing process… That is the exception, not the rule. Maybe you had the wrong type of PT?
My ortho made my diagnosis and prescribed PT. Again, I feel PT and treatment prolonged the healing process. Like picking at a scab.
Symptoms were general ache behind knee and sharp stabbing pain at times where hamstring tendons attach to posterior medial knee. Limited range of motion at flexion. Got better as I warmed up and less pain just after exercise completed. However, as I cooled down and particularly after leg bent for awhile like sitting for commute, pain and stiffness return.
Hmm
Not exactly what I have.
I developed the sudden onset of pain around the medial head of the gastrocnemius (calf). It felt deep to calf, that’s why I was thinking politeus. There is no soreness along the achilles tendon nor along the attachment sites of the gasrtroc above the knee.
It is only painfull when I try to stretch the gastroc, as occurs when running or when attempting those calf stretches.
If it is not the popliteus, it could just be a muscle spasm of the gastroc, which hopefully will resolve on its own.
It’s possible. Any suggestions on what I should do differently?
I had something similar this summer. Was doing hard intervals on the bike in big ring and at one of the turn-arounds I left it in my biggest combo to start from 5mph…never felt right after. I tried to run the next day but it was very awkward and uncomfortable. I self-diagnosed popliteus but my PT guy said hamstring strain (was prob both actually). The only relief I got was from seeing my ART guy…went twice and the pain subsided. He said he could feel it pulsating under pressure from his thumb.
My pain felt muscular in the upper/outer part of my calf but it was isolated to one area. ART works. Believe me.
(Oh, crap - I introduced the subject of Powercranks to your thread. Sorry, dude. I honestly don’t know why this crowd can discuss religion and politics calmly, but the mention of Powercranks brings out serious flames.)
Ok, so nobody responded to your Powercranks comment. I may be developing a similar problem, and I am a Powercranks user. Can you explain how the Powercranks can be implicated?
I don’t think I’m very qualified to address the issues of body mechanics here, but I first started encountering the popliteal pain when I was riding with the Powercranks, and continuing to ride with them seemed to aggravate it. Running was pretty uncomfortable too, though, so I’m probably never going to be certain as to which one caused the initial injury and which one merely aggravated it. It’s quite possible that I was using crank arms on the PCs that were too long, too. Bought ones to match my regular road cranks, which are possibly too long also - I’m kind of a short guy. I will say in defense of the Powercranks, though, that I do feel that they were initially helpful in recovering strength in the injured leg. Lost a fair amount of flexibility in both legs during my recovery, and this quite possibly played a part as well.
One other thing about the popliteal pain that I should mention is that although it has pretty well cleared up for by my mother and me, we both find that spending long amounts of time standing on hard surfaces (ceramic tile or stone) will still aggravate it.
(Oh, crap - I introduced the subject of Powercranks to your thread. Sorry, dude. I honestly don’t know why this crowd can discuss religion and politics calmly, but the mention of Powercranks brings out serious flames.)
Ok, so nobody responded to your Powercranks comment. I may be developing a similar problem, and I am a Powercranks user. Can you explain how the Powercranks can be implicated?
My experience (and from what I gather from the reports of users) suggests that pain behind the knee, associated with PowerCranks use, is mostly associated with an “overuse” injury from increase use of the hamstrings. It is usually a simple case of trying to do too much too fast.
Just started some ART on this. Hopefully will see some relief in the next few weeks.