Muscles
Popliteus Trigger Points
Symptom Area: Leg, Ankle and Foot
Popliteus Trigger Points are explored here through their location and referred pain pattern. Muscle knots is an everyday term used for tender muscular spots; myofascial pain describes pain involving muscle and its surrounding connective tissue. 'Unlocks' the knee from full extension; rotates the tibia internally.
Where you feel it
When the Popliteus holds active trigger points, you usually notice it as posterior knee pain and problems going down stairs. Where the pain spreads: Posterior knee pain that worsens with stairs or squatting. What often sets it off: Downhill running, deep squat overload.
Overview
'Unlocks' the knee from full extension; rotates the tibia internally. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.
Trigger point locations
Posterior knee deep to the gastrocnemius.
Referred pain pattern
Posterior knee pain that worsens with stairs or squatting.
Palpation & testing
Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.
Common causes
Downhill running, deep squat overload.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Knee mobility, eccentric work. Clinically: needling carefully.
Treatment protocol
For Popliteus, the general protocol applies: sustained pressure release on the taut band, then stretch and active movement in the newly gained range.
Position and palpation: Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course.
Regional precaution for clinicians: In the calf, ankle and foot the tibial nerve and posterior tibial vessels in the deep posterior compartment, the common peroneal nerve at the fibular neck and the plantar neurovascular bundle guide needle placement.
Primary Symptoms
Often confused with
These muscles cause the same primary symptoms, so they are checked together:
Related muscles in this region
Related articles
References
- • Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction
Medically reviewed by: Marco Aruffo — physiotherapist since 2006, specialised in myofascial pain · Last reviewed:
