If you’re unfamiliar with what a Baker Cyst is, I am inclined to say consider yourself fortunate. I say this because, if you’ve never heard of such a thing, I suspect you have never had one yourself, and that is no bad thing.
Neither of my knees is in great shape, but the right knee is worse thanks to a rugby injury I sustained many years ago. When I went back to playing rugby last year, it gave me quite a bit of grief, so I figured I should probably mention it to my doctor. I had an ultrasound done and was told I have a Baker cyst in my right knee, and as of late, it has decided to once more be a tremendous annoyance.
Check out the following information about Baker Cysts from mayoclinic.org.
“A Baker cyst is a fluid-filled growth behind the knee. It causes a bulge and a feeling of tightness. Also called a popliteal (pop-luh-TEE-ul) cyst, a Baker cyst sometime causes pain. The pain can get worse when with activity or when fully straightening or bending the knee.
“A Baker cyst is usually the result of a problem with the knee joint, such as arthritis or a cartilage tear. Both conditions can cause the knee to produce too much fluid.
“Although a Baker cyst may cause swelling and discomfort, treating the underlying problem that is causing it usually provides relief.
“In some cases, a Baker cyst causes no pain, and you may not notice it. If you do have symptoms, they might include:
- “Swelling behind the knee, and sometimes in the leg
- “Knee pain
- “Stiffness and inability to fully flex the knee
“The symptoms may be worse after you’ve been active or if you’ve been standing for a long time.
“A lubricating fluid called synovial (sih-NO-vee-ul) fluid helps the leg swing smoothly and reduces friction between the moving parts of the knee.
“But sometimes underlying conditions can cause the knee to produce too much synovial fluid. When this happens, fluid can build up in the back of the knee, leading to a Baker cyst.
“This can be caused by:
- “A knee injury, such as a cartilage tear
- “Inflammation of the knee joint, which can occur with various types of arthritis,” the web page explains.
If you suspect you have a Baker cyst in your own knee, talk to your doctor about your options.
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