What is popliteus tendinitis?

• A person with popliteus tendinitis has inflammation of the popliteus tendon, which is located behind the knee. Tendons are strong bands that connect muscles to bone. The popliteus tendon attaches to the outer, bottom surface of the femur and travels diagonally, behind the knee, to attach to the inner, upper surface of the tibia.

How does it function?

Function

• The popliteus tendon normally prevents the lower leg from twisting outwards while running. Running downhill places increased stress on this tendon, leading to popliteus tendinitis.

Function

• The main function of the popliteus is to keep the lower leg in line with the knee and the top of the leg. It connects the two parts of the leg so that the lower part does not twist outward

• Popliteus Tendinitis• The popliteus tendon runs across the rear of the thigh

up to the knee and curves to the front of the shin. It helps both to keep the femur in position and to avoid unnatural outward twisting of the lower leg while you are running. Inflammation of the tendon is common for certain track athletes and runners, and will necessitate rest and possibly other treatment until the injury has healed.

What are the causes for popliteus tendonitis?

Causes

• Popliteus tendonitis is commonly caused when one of your feet roll inward. In addition, running downhill can also tear your popliteus tendon by putting extra stress on your tendon.

Causes

• Pressure is placed on the popliteus tendon during such everyday movements as the feet hitting the ground.

• Running downhill can put an inordinate strain on the tendon if practiced excessively.

• This occurs more often than in general sprinting because the surface is not flat; other factors that can contribute to straining the tendon include overuse: running with fatigued muscles, for too great a length of time, or without suitable warm ups or other stretches.

• The injury is regularly felt after an ankle rolls unusually inwards, causing a tear in the tendon.

How do you injured it?

Injury

• Popliteus tendonitis is a common, painful injury of the knee, often experienced after an ankle rolls.

Injury

• A tear can happen when extra stress is put on the tendon, usually when one of the feet rolls inward. Popliteus tendonitis occurs commonly when a person is running downhill.

What are the symptoms of popliteus tendinitis?

Symptoms

• Symptoms of popliteus tendinitis are similar to knee bursitis. The most common symptom of popliteal tendinitis includes knee pain that worsens with movement. Additional symptoms may include swelling, redness, and warmth to the skin overlying the popliteal tendon.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms usually include swelling, redness, and pain on the outside of the knee.

Symptoms• You will feel pain and swelling

around knee, especially outside of knee. You may right away feel acute pain at the back of the knee and on the outsides of the knee.

• The pain will likely be bad enough that you can't comfortably walk directly after it happens.

• The popliteus tendon will likely immediately swell, and will be very tender.

Symptoms• The popliteus tendon comes

into immediate contact with the joint capsule, a number of ligaments and tendons, and the bones of the knee. With each movement of the knee, the popliteus tendon slides past these parts, which may irritate the tendon. Chronic irritation leads to inflammation of the tendon and the surrounding structures, with the gradual development of popliteal tendinitis.

Symptoms

• he popliteus tendon actually passes through the capsule of the knee and into the knee joint itself, where it attaches to the outer side of the femur.In doing so, it runs behind the lateral meniscus and in close proximity to it.

Symptoms

• Acute pain experienced behind the knee immediately after the injury strikes.

• This is often accompanied by redness and swelling. • The pain may prohibit successful walking, especially soon after the

injury is sustained.• However, in some cases the pain can be less pronounced or even

unnoticeable to start with. • The area around the popliteus tendon is likely to be tender to touch. • Symptoms worsen over time, thus if you have experienced the

above symptoms but not yet sought medical attention, the inflammation may become exacerbated and leg training can become extremely problematic, causing severe pain.

Symptoms

• hen the knee is examined, tenderness is found in the area below the lateral epicondyle and above the line of the knee joint. The pain seems located deep in the knee. Bending the knee to a right angle and resting the ankle of the affected leg on the opposite shin can reproduce the pain.

How do you care for popliteus tendonitis?

Treatment• If tendonitis is severe enough,

you may need to have knee taped.

• The most imperative part of caring for tendonitis is giving it time to heal.

• Keeping your leg up and resting will give the tendon time to heal and will decrease swelling.

• Icing the area will also lessen inflammation, pain, swelling and redness

Treatment• Along with any medical advice, you should

primarily take a break from all strenuous physical activities involving the legs until the symptoms have subsided, which may take around 6 weeks.

• Ice the area to reduce pain and swelling, and take anti-inflammatory pain medication if necessary. If the tendinitis is severe then the doctor might recommend taping the area of the injury or appropriate surgery if the condition is extreme.

• When the pain has diminished, incremental physical therapy can help to build up strength and maintain movement in the area. The doctor or therapist can suggest appropriate alternatives to running, such as cycling.

Prevention• The correct running shoes and

a safe downhill course will help to prevent popliteus tendonitis.

• Ways to prevent popliteus tendonitis include wearing the proper running shoes, stretching before and after running, and running on safe courses rather than rough terrain.

Prevention

• Warm up before activity and warm down afterwards so that your muscles and tendons remain in premium condition.

• Try to limit downhill running, using flat, even surfaces where feasible. If you have any biomechanical foot problems (a doctor can test for these), wear the correct shoe orthotics to fix them.

• Make sure that you are wearing suitable shoes for your activities.

• Running shoes should be replaced at least every 500 miles, and worn shoes need immediate replacement.