Why does a dull knee pain keep coming back even after periods of rest?

Thanks for your question. We’ll do what we can to help, but please note that we are unable to make a specific comment on your condition without a physical exam.

Your symptoms sound like they may be related to one of the muscles that attaches near the back of the knee. The hamstrings — which are responsible for bending your knee when walking and running — start in the hip and attach just below the knee. One of the calf muscles — which is responsible for pointing your toe and pushing off when you walk and run — starts just above the knee and attaches to the heel bone. Both of these muscles could be irritated by the activities you mentioned, specifically prolonged running or pushing off, and completely straightening the leg.

Gentle stretching of the calves and hamstrings may be beneficial, as would be a long warmup prior to activity. 

Sometimes these injuries heal completely by themselves, but in this case, it seems like a few weeks of rest didn’t completely take care of it. Your best bet would be to see a physical therapist who can help you determine the cause of your pain and prescribe the best exercises and stretches to complete your recovery so it doesn’t linger any longer.

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