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Heaviness in leg

Posted , 6 users are following.

tasneem00771
tasneem00771

On November 2015 i start to feel the back of my left leg is heavy, its not pain but i feel like the muscle is heavy, i also noticed the back of the knee is tender but no pain.

I have a crunchy knee at the same leg and sometimes hip pain.

I went to the gp two weeks ago and she said she can not feel any swelling behind my knee but i am sure there is as it looks like bigger than the other one. She asked me to do a blood test which i did last wednesday and i will be seeing the gp next week to discuss the result.

She said it could be b12 diffeciency!

I can see a vein prominent at the area behind the knee as it looks like varicose vein. So could it be a varicose vein symptoms?

Gp said we may need to do a scan.

Thanks in advance

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Ouzel
    Ouzel tasneem00771

    Posted

    It isn't B12 deficiency.  Most likey it's a Baker's Cyst, a benign cystic structure that develops in the back of the knee, often assoiciated with some sort of problem inside the joint (arthrits, torn cartilage, etc.).  An ultra sound can ID it but an MRI is best.  They can get big enough to obstruct blood flow into the lower leg but that's uncommon. If you must treat it you address the intraarticular problem and the cyst goes away on it's own. 
    • tasneem00771
      tasneem00771 Ouzel

      Posted

      I thought its a baker's cyst but when i read the symptoms i found the baker's cyst is painful. But i can not feel any pain!
    • Ouzel
      Ouzel tasneem00771

      Posted

      Most of the time the cysts are not painful and small ones can be hard to feel even by an experienced examiner.  They can get large and can be tender or they can rupture and cause pain, swelling, etc.  Most of the time, however, they show up as incidental findings on MRIs of knees done for other reasons.  

      Anatomically, there's a little trap door in the back of the knee capsule (semimembraneous bursa) that communicates with the interior of the knee so anything that causes a build up of fluid in the knee (arthritis, injury to meniscus, etc.) can squirt a little fluid through this opening and then the pressure closes the "trap door" , so to speak, and keeps it from getting back into the joint.  It subsequently builds up.  That's why excising the cyst doesn't help and you have to solve the cause of the fluid build up inside the knee.  Plain x-rays might show arthritis in your case as the cause, or you may need an MRI to show a torn meniscus, etc.  It will also tell if the cyst is causing your symptoms.  There are other possibilites for your problem but you havent' given your age, previous knee problems, or other possibily relevant details so the diagnosis is still in doubt.  Your doc will figure it out at some point.

      Incidently, PMR has shown to have a subclinical fluid build up in knees (effusions) so, theoretically at least, you might find more Baker's cysts in PMR patients -  but that's purely speculation. 

    • tasneem00771
      tasneem00771 Ouzel

      Posted

      Really appreciate your time to reply. I am 30 years old and have had a crunchy knee since 5 years and get worse sometime and then get better but still can hear noises.

      I have been to the gp 3 years ago when it was really crunchy and the gp only did blood test and said its vitamin D diffeciny!

    • Ouzel
      Ouzel tasneem00771

      Posted

      if you have access to an orthopedic surgeon you'll get the straight skinny.  Vitamin deficiencies don't cause crunchy knees.
  • paula63201
    paula63201 tasneem00771

    Posted

    I had a Bakers Cyst behind my knee after rowing a boat for several hours in a cramped position. I was already missing a meniscus in that knee and presumeably bone rubbing on bone caused the cyst. It got so bad that I couldn't straighten out the leg. Eventually the cyst ruptured and my lower leg became very swollen: calf and ankle. The orthopedist ordered a doppler scan of the leg to rule out blood clots and also ordered an elastic stocking. I ended up getting a cortisone shot into the knee for the cyst. It helped the cyst. However, I have been told that the cyst can come back.
    • tasneem00771
      tasneem00771 paula63201

      Posted

      Thanks for reply, i think now its a baker's cyst. Will see the gp and mention this
  • tasneem00771
    tasneem00771

    Posted

    I have seen the gp yesterday and the blood test results are normal except of folic acid diffiency.

    Gp referred me for an ultrasound to check for baker's cyst.

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