The back of your leg hurting behind your knee can be a result of tendonitis, osteoarthritis, Baker's cyst or even hamstring injuries.
Pain behind your knee is also called posterior knee pain.
A meniscus tear can also cause pain in the back of your knee, especially if you bend or twist your knee.
If the pain continues or gets worse you should see a doctor or in severe cases go to the ER.
Overstretching or tearing one or more of your hamstring muscles can lead to pain behind your knee, especially when the tendon attaches to the bone.
And inflammation of your hamstring tendons can lead to pain and stiffness behind your knee, and can often be caused by repetitive motions and overuse.
A Baker's Cyst which is a fluid filled cyst or a popliteal cyst can develop behind the knee and cause tightness, swelling and pain and the cyst can also be related to knee injuries and arthritis.
When the back of your leg hurts behind the knee it can mean that your knee joint has worn down as you get older or you may have injured the knee or torn a ligament or cartilage in it.
Also two of the common conditions that cause pain behind your knee are popliteal cyst or posterior cruciate ligament injury.
Physical therapy, knee injections, weight loss and NSAIDS are better than knee surgery although in some other cases knee surgery may still be needed.
Knee braces can also help some people with knee pain and knee issues.
Orthopedic surgeons do not always recommend surgery and will only recommend surgery when necessary such as when a musculoskeletal injury or degenerative condition does not respond to nonsurgical therapies or when you suffer from a problem which warrants surgical intervention right away.
The most difficult surgery for an orthopedic surgeon is complex joint replacement surgery which requires extensive training and skill.
The joint replacement often involves removing damaged bone and cartilage and replacing them with prosthetic parts.