A popliteus strain is when the popliteus muscle fibres stretch or tear causing pain at the back of the knee.
The popliteus muscle runs behind the knee and along with the popliteus tendon, it connects the muscle to the femur. The role of the popliteus muscle is to help bend and straighten your leg and it withdraws the meniscus to prevent the tissue from becoming impinged in the knee joint.
A popliteus strain is a graded condition. The three grades of a popliteus strain are:
Grade one– damage to less than 5%of the muscle fibres
Grade two– damage of more than 5%of the muscle fibres
Grade three– complete rupture of thepopliteus muscle
Physiotherapy is suitable for all grades of injury.
There are several causes for a popliteus strain, but the most common include:
Your physiotherapist may also recommend a brace depending on the severity of your condition.
Are you suffering from painful Popliteus Strain? Contact Vitalis Physiotherapy now to book in your treatment. Call our friendly team on 0410 559 856. We’d love to help.