{"id":7208,"date":"2019-07-05T09:55:47","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T09:55:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=7208"},"modified":"2021-06-12T16:26:37","modified_gmt":"2021-06-12T16:26:37","slug":"14-things-to-know-about-popliteal-bakers-cyst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-things-to-know-about-popliteal-bakers-cyst\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Things to Know About Popliteal (Baker’s) Cyst"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Are you feeling tightness and sensations of discomfort in the back of your knee? If it feels like you have a bulge sticking out from behind the knee, then you have what’s known as a “Baker’s cyst.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cyst forms when a knee injury leads to the formation of a fluid-filled sac in the popliteal region behind the knee joint. The condition typically occurs when the patient experiences an injury to the joint, such as hyperextension of the knee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The size of the cyst depends on the extent of the injury. However, in most cases, Baker’s cysts occur due to mild trauma to the joint. In most cases, Baker’s cysts will clear without any medical intervention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baker’s cysts don’t limit your mobility as severely as other knee injuries to the ligament and meniscus, and most patients can walk around normally without much discomfort. The cysts clear in anything from 2 to 4-weeks, depending on their size, as well as the age and health of the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are eight things you should know about Baker’s cysts.
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1.    Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients develop a Bakers cyst due to trauma to the knee. This trauma can occur through a variety of means, from sports injuries \u2013 to getting out of the car and slipping on a patch of ice. Regardless of the reason for the damage, the patient finds that they develop swelling<\/a> in the back of the knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, the inflammation and swelling associated with the condition do not cause the patient any pain. However, if the patient experiences a severe injury, they may develop a large Baker’s cyst that places pressure on the ligaments when hyperextending the knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some patients with large Bakers cysts may find it challenging to flex the knee to their normal range of motion. These symptoms of discomfort and tightness may increase after standing or walking for long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, doctors recommend that patients treat the symptoms using OTC anti-inflammatories and plenty of rest.
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2.    Causes of Baker’s Cyst<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Baker’s cysts occur due to injury to the knee joint. The knee contains synovial fluid, which has a use for lubricating the surface of the bones, preventing erosion of the meniscus during movement of the tibia and femur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The knee joint comprises of four major ligaments <\/a>that support the structural integrity of the joint. When the patient experiences injury to any of these ligaments, the joint starts to swell. This swelling occurs due to an increase in the production of synovial fluid to prevent further damage to the affected area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients who experience a Baker’s cyst will notice that the fluid congregates at the back of the knee, leading to the development of a bulge that feels firm to the touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damage to the knee can occur from a variety of different sources, and the knee may experience a variety of various injuries, such as an ACL tear or damage to the meniscus. Whatever the reason for the injury, a Baker’s cyst is a common occurrence with any knee injury.
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3. Diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s relatively easy to self-diagnose a Baker’s cysts. However, many people who have never heard of the condition before may choose to visit their doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor will have no trouble identifying the cyst, and they will ask you how you incurred the injury that led to the development of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, where the patient is older than 60-years old, the doctor may order an MRI or X-ray test to detect signs of thrombosis <\/a>or tumors. Your doctor will assess the integrity and strength of your knee joint to determine if there is any severe damage to your ligaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your doctor finds that you have a ligament tear, they may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for diagnosis. The orthopedic will check your test results and conduct their examination using your doctor’s reference notes. If you require surgery to fix the affected ligament, your doctor may have to wait for the swelling from the Baker’s cyst to subside, before they operate on the tendons.
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4.    Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, Baker’s cysts will disappear on their own, without the need for medical intervention. However, if the patient incurs a severe knee injury that leads to the development of a large cyst, they may need to visit the doctor for diagnosis and treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the patient has a large cyst, they have options for treatment. If the cyst is not producing severe symptoms of pain and discomfort, the physician will prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to bring down the swelling and drain the edema. Your doctor may also make use of corticosteroid injections to bring down the swelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For large cysts, doctors may need to lance the affected area and draw out the fluid. During this aspiration procedure, the doctor receives guidance from ultrasound imagery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the injury occurs, icing the affected area and elevating it above the waist will help to limit swelling. Surgical intervention is rarely required to treat Baker’s cysts.
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5.    Home Remedies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People that experience a Baker’s cyst typically deal with multiple occurrences of the cyst until they fix the underlying structural issue with their knee. The cyst may reoccur due to mild trauma to the knee, such as hyperextension<\/a>, and the size of the cyst varies depending on the circumstances of the injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient may need help from their doctor with identifying the condition the first time it occurs., However, the patient should be able to handle any subsequent injuries, provided that they are not severe in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the injury occurs, ice the knee for 5-minutes on, then 5-minutes off. Repeat for an hour. Elevate the leg above your waist to limit the swelling, and use a compression sleeve to relieve the swelling and pain in the joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use OTC painkillers and anti-inflammatories to manage symptoms of pain and swelling as they occur. Avoid walking while the cyst drains, as any activity may inflame the affected area further.
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6.    Recovery Period<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Baker’s cysts present some level of pain and discomfort to the patient, and the cyst will limit your range of motion in the knee joint. However, the patient should be able to walk without the use of crutches <\/a>or a wheelchair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The size of the cyst determines the recovery period necessary to return the joint to its normal state of health. In most cases, a Baker’s cysts will disappear on its own, without the need for medical intervention. The patient should notice the swelling start to dissipate by the end of the second week. By the end of the third week, the cysts will shrink significantly, and most patients make a full recovery after four to six weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rest is the most predominant factor determining the success of your recovery. Those individuals that rest the knee will recover faster. If you continue with an exercise and strain the knee, then the cyst will persist for weeks or months.
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7. Complications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, a Baker’s cyst will heal with sufficient resting of the knee joint. However, there are always patients that do not adhere to their doctor’s advice, for whatever reason. As a result, patients with Baker’s cysts that do not take the adequate rest needed to heal the joint, risk the development of complications with their condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On rare occasions, the Baker’s cysts may rupture, due to strain or impact. As a result, the synovial fluid inside the sac may spread out through the knee joint, resulting in the skin <\/a>turning reddish in color. The patient may also experience the sensation of fluid running down the back of their leg, but when they touch the surface, it feels dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patient will experience the onset of edema in the lower limbs that may spread through the calve and into the ankle, resulting in severely swollen ankle joints and feet. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate treatment from your medical professional.
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8. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As with any other injury, there are a set of risk factors<\/a> that make some individuals more prone to developing Baker’s cysts than others. If you find yourself mentioned in the high-risk groups for Baker’s cysts, then we suggest you increase your preventative strategies to avoid knee injury. Always warm up your knee joints before any physical activity, and make use of support sleeves if you have any weakness in your ligaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have a current knee injury, or have a previous history of developing Baker’s cysts, are prone to flare-ups of the condition in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women are more inclined to develop the condition due to the structure of their hips being fuller than men. As a result, they place pressure on the inside of the knee that makes them more prone to injuring the joint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People between the ages of 15 to 45-years old are also at high risk of incurring knee injuries that lead to the formation of Baker’s cysts. People in this age group are active and at higher risk of placing themselves in a compromising position that leads to injury of the knee.
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