Sudden pain in back of leg behind knee

look at the back of your shin and see if there's a bruise developing.

I think it's a weak calf muscle that's tense after your exertions.

I'd get it looked at but meanwhile maybe keep exercising with a few gentle leg pumps.

I had something similar a while ago. I did see a physio.
Mine was remedied pretty quickly.

See your doc. DH had this happen, A&E doc said he should go home and watch Youtube videos about carrying shopping bags properly. 48 hours later, almost too late, he was helicoptered to the nearest major hospital with a popliteal aneurysm. It might be nothing, but then it might be something.

I have had violent pain and swelling at the back of my knee for 3 weeks. It is a Baker’s cyst which I had previously about 10 years ago but not as painful or slow to go. Apparently they are caused by an arthritis flare-up.
The GP the discovered I also have low heart rate which scares me. I feel quite hellless at times.

Best get it checked out, could be dvt.

Yes, check it our for any of the "biggies"

if it is not, see a good physio.

In the meantime as NotSpagetti suggested, keep mobile. Lying down, do little movements. if this causes pain, do less, or don.t do it. But at our ages it's particularly important, if possible, to keep those gentle movements going.

(I'm a yoga teacher of many years, at 75, but I am not a medic)

The key command is, "stretch not strain"

eg, this, but very, very gently indeed. Just moving a few inches like her

www.youtube.com/shorts/HORwOBscB-k

this chap has a good idea

www.youtube.com/shorts/LXTG-VbXAg4

Whilst you're deciding what to do put an ice pack on it.

Yes, see your GP or go to A&E or Minor Injuries if it is nearer.
ASAP!

It could be a torn ligament, Baker's Cyst, a torn meniscus (it is very painful) or a blood clot and needs investigation.

Well perhaps ring 111 before A and E, and see if you can talk to a doc to assess, for the variations of what it could be are very great here. x

travelsafar, please don't speculate just go to A&E. No doubt you will have a long wait there- but you will be seen . Please put your mind at rest, more than likely your pain will be remedied quickly - in the unlikely event it is something more serious you are in the right place. Please keep us informed if you can. Good luck!

Advice for my cyst behind knee was RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Plus painkillers of course and gentle exercise. Luckily I already had some compression stockings. Now awaiting cardio clinic appointment

travelsafar - wishing you a swift and complete recovery from your painful knee.🍀

I'm recovering from a torn gastrocnemius muscle which I injured playing pickleball. It was immediately very painful, I could only walk by walking on tip toe and the pain was located on the inner part of my calf, just below the knee. I went to my local minor injuries clinic and was seen very quickly. They wanted to check that I didn't have a DVT and that nothing was broken, they also gave me information about how to self refer to my nearest muscular skeletal clinic after two weeks if there was no improvement or I was worried. I had no visible bruising or swelling but a week later there was bruising in my lower calf but I was able to walk fairly normally with heel lifts to reduce the load on the affected muscle. The MIC also lent me crutches so I could avoid loading the leg but suggested that I kept some gentle movement to help with the blood supply to the injury.

Get it checked out but I'd go to your minor injuries clinic rather than A&E, you can buy heel lifts on Amazon and I got them delivered the same day (they made me so much more comfortable) and importantly avoid any movement which is painful but try to do some gentle movement even if it's only ankle circles. I'm nearly 78 but I'm astounded at how quickly I've become relatively painfree. fwiw, I didn't use painkillers, I can't take ibuprofen anyway but I think it's useful to be able to feel if you are doing too much so you avoid doing more damage. There's several muscles and ligaments in the back of the knee that you might have damaged but the treatment is pretty much the same, RICE, gentle movement and time. I'm seeing a good physio on Thursday to get a proper recovery plan because I'm still very active despite my age and want to continue as best I can. Good luck.

It could be sciatica. Which will come and go.
But once you get it the pain is terrible.

I had a similar pain which turned out to be a ruptured Bakers cyst. The fluid released into the tissues gradually drains down the leg over about three weeks causing redness , swelling and pain. I had an ankle which looked as if it belonged to an elephant. It’s caused by arthritis in the knee joint.

Sounds like a Bakers Cyst. My OH had one.
However you should still get looked at by your GP. 💐

My husband got that and was told it was a Baker's Cyst

What ever it was it is so much better today. I ve been using co codamol twice a day and resting as much as possible. Im beginning to think I pulled a muscle.
Thank you all for the suggestions 😊

I agree with Greciangirl it could be sciatica which travels (at its worst) down the back of your leg to your ankle.You need to get it checked by yolur GP.

Travelsafar - I had a sharp pain at back of my knee last year. I already had early arthritis in that knee. So it could have been "bursitis" - which is a harmless pad (or pads) of fluid collecting at the back of a degenerating joint to protect the joint - but because of where it is, it causes pain and discomfort. Sometimes the pad of fluid eventually bursts, and the pain goes away. There is nothing that can be done about it. It doesn't threaten your health. But a freind told me to go to the Urgent Treatment Centre at my local hospital. It turned out to be a DVT.

I wonder if it is as Elrel said earlier. It does sound like a Bakers Cyst.