Popliteus Muscle Problem?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

OK, I’ve been having a problem with “popping” of my hamstrings along the very back of the knee and then I found this article on the popliteus muscle:

I noticed that I have considerable trouble straightening my legs out completely – last few degrees are a chore. Having hip and knee issues is the cause of this, but I have been working on both quad stretches and hamstring stretches where the leg is forced to be as straight as possible. I get a pronounced stretch along the back of the knees and even a fair amount of burning. Left – which had an ACL rebuild 26 years ago is worse than the right.

Questions are

  1. anyone else ever experienced this?
  2. does this article seem reliable?
  3. the author of the article doesn’t have much advice aside from massage. Anyone got something better?

Thanks in advance!

– jj

2

I had a few issues with that muscle after my ACL reconstruction. Lots of ART and Graston help. Also an exercise similar to TKE with a band where instead of concentrating on squeezing the quad, you concentrate on firing that little guy on the back of the knee. Really try to bow your leg backwards.

3

Active Release Technique(ART), Graston/SASTM/Gua Sha would be your best bet to get it cleared out, Go to activerelease.com for ART providers near where you live, I think Graston may have a list of providers also