Home > Blog > Physiotherapy > Conditions > Knee  Pain > Baker's Cyst Knee Physiotherapy

Baker's Cyst Knee Physiotherapy



Baker's Cyst is one of the most common cause of behind the knee

At the back of our knee is the popliteal bursa - it is a small fluid filled sac that sits between the hamstring muscle tendons and knee bones, and its primary function is to reduce friction.

Inflammation of this bursa was first discovered in the 19th century by Dr William Morrant Baker, which is where it gets its name "Baker's Cyst". It is also known as semimembranosus bursitis or a popliteal cyst.

Popliteal cysts typically affect patients who are over the age of 40 and has a tendency to affect women more than men.

first of all, What Causes A Bakers Cyst?

A Baker's cyst develops when there is excess fluid in the knee joint and there is number of things can cause this swelling of or in the knee.

The most common cause is knee osteoarthritis, where wear and tear of the knee bones and cartilage leads to increased fluid in the knee joint. In fact, 50% of arthritis sufferers develop a popliteal cyst at some point.

Other conditions, such as knee gout, or any injury to the knee which produces swelling, e.g. a cartilage or knee meniscal tear, can increase the risk of developing bursitis in the knee.

What happens is then this excess synovial fluid seeps backwards out of the joint and into the semimembranosus bursa. As the fluid enters the bursa it starts to swell resulting in knee bursitis.

Symptoms of a Bakers Cyst

The first symptom people tend to feel with a bakers cyst is a small bulge behind the knee, a bit like

  • a small water balloon or
  • squashy orange or fruit

There may only be minor swelling and often a popliteal cyst can be so small you don’t even notice anything.

That being said, in some cases, the cyst can get quite large, that can cause

  • pain behind the knee
  • knee tightness and
  • knee stiffness

especially when you bend and straighten the knee. The average size of a Baker's cyst is about 3 cm.

The pain associated with a popliteal cyst tends to get worse with activity or when standing for long periods, easing with rest.

Diagnosing A Bakers Cyst

Diagnosis of a popliteal cyst is usually made by your doctor from what you tell him or her and what they can

  • see
  • palpate and touch

If there is any doubt the doctor can confirm the diagnosis of a Baker's Knee Cyst by performing an ultrasound or MRI scan.

The symptoms of a ruptured popliteal cyst can be similar to those of a DVT (a blood clot in the leg) so if you experience pain in your calf accompanied by any swelling, redness or heat, see your doctor immediately. 

Treatment Options

There are a number of things that can help to treat a bakers cyst including:

1) Ice / Cold Therapy

Ice treatment helps to reduce the swelling in the knee and the bursa, which will help to reduce the pain.

2) Medication

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) e.g. ibuprofen can help to reduce pain and swelling with popliteal bursitis, but they should only ever be taken on advice of the doctor due to the potential side effects.

3) Stretching Exercises

Tightness in the muscles around the knee can aggravate a popliteal cyst by squashing it which can lead to further inflammation. Knee stretches can therefore be a very effective way of resolving the condition.

4) Aspiration

If a bakers cyst is particularly large or is causing pain behind the knee, then the excess fluid can be drained with a needle by your orthopedic doctor or GP.

It is a fairly straight forward and simple procedure and usually provides instant relief.

However, that being said...it is very common for the fluid to re-accumulate in the bursa if the underlying cause of the bursitis is not address.

5) Injections

Knee bursitis often responds well to cortisone injections.

This is where your doctor injects a mixture of steroid and local anaesthetic into the knee which works to reduce the swelling and reduce the pain behind the knee. Again, the benefits are usually fairly instant but are often short lived as the swelling behind the knee will return after some time.

6) Surgery

Whilst not usually necessary, in a minority of cases, surgery may be recommended. This is usually the case if the popliteal cyst is a result of long-term damage in the knee e.g.

Preventing baker's cyst from coming back

Bakers Cysts frequently return, especially in people suffering from knee arthritis due to the continued production of excess fluid in the knee joint. 

Knee strengthening exercises and knee stretches can often help to prevent a popliteal cyst returning - what happens is that the stronger the muscles get, the less force goes through the bones making it less likely that the knee will swell which therefore prevents another knee cyst from developing.

This is especially the case when the popliteal cyst has developed due to arthritis.

Possible baker cyst Complications

Sometimes...a Bakers Knee Cyst can burst.

If that happens, then the fluid from inside the bursa typically will leak and travel down the back of the leg and into the calf area.This can cause swelling and/or a sharp pain in the calf.

This free fluid will fortunately and gradually be reabsorbed into the body but this can take up to a month, give or take another 1-2 weeks.

During this time, your doctor may prescribe you pain medication to alleviate any discomfort after the cyst bursts.

baker's cyst knee physiotherapy

We can also provide to ease the pain and accelerate soft tissue healing and knee strength and range of motion:

Reference Sources



Back to Top

book an appointment today
(or check your pains / injuries)

Phoenix Rehab Physio Services

Phoenix Rehab Group works with specialist physiotherapists and rehab therapists who are highly trained, qualified, experienced and passionate to provide high level of expert care to our patients.



HAND THERAPY & CUSTOMIZED SPLINTING

Patients who sustained injuries to their elbows, forearms, hands, wrists (sprains and fractures) and fingers, usually will benefit / require Hand Therapy to

  1. manage and decrease hand pains
  2. improve range of motion, strength and dexterity
  3. increase the function of their hand following injuries or post-operations

Commonly treated hand pain injuries includes



REFORMER CLINICAL PILATES & WELLNESS PILATES

Clinical Pilates is a form of physical exercise that focuses on posture, core stability, balance, control, strength, flexibility and breathing.

It is a system of safe and effective exercises, which meet specific individual needs, to treat a wide range of injuries and conditions.

You may do Pilates as matwork or with the reformer or both, and every session will be customized 100% to your fitness, injury and tolerance.



TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM)

  • Cupping TCM
  • Auricular Therapy TCM
  • Herbal TCM Medicine & Supplementation



DEEP TISSUE RELEASE & SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPY

Sports and deep tissue release massage helps to increase nutrient-rich blood flow to tired, tight and tense muscles to accelerate recovery and  shorten downtime / recovery period required.

It also prevents muscles from scar tissue micro-tears (and potential ruptures), and increases muscle performance. Having regular deep tissue and sports massage will keep your muscles healthy and fit with body/movement-confidence.

Read the benefits of regular deep tissue release therapy here.



ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

All our allied health therapists and TCM physicians are fully insured and registered with Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Board (TCMB).

See our entire team here with introductions and their specializations.

At the first session, our specialist physiotherapists will carry out a thorough assessment, helping them to select the most appropriate treatment to help you recover as well as provide treatment in the same session.

Follow up sessions are inline to provide expert treatment for your pain as well as prescribing specific exercises to reduce your risk of re-injury and giving you a long term solution.

do Tell Your Family, Friends And Colleagues About Us =)

We appreciate you as our valued clients and want you to know that the # 1 way we grow as a clinic / brand is through word of mouth referrals from valued patients like yourself.

We prefer not to rely on advertising - instead, we prefer and appreciate the goodwill and positive reinforcement from patients. When you have the chance, please tell your family, friends and physicians about the positive results and experience you have had in our physio clinics.

book an appointment today
(or check your pains / injuries)

Recent Articles

RSS

  1. Adele Ang Principal Physiotherapist Singapore

    Jun 29, 22 08:32 AM

    Adele is a registered physiotherapist with over 25 years of experience including treating national athletes as well as recreational athletes having worked in Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Spo…

    Read More

  2. Achilles Tendon Pain Physiotherapy

    Feb 03, 22 04:05 AM

    Achilles tendon pain is very common among recreational and elite sportspeople. But it is also common among sedentary individuals

    Read More

  3. Tendonitis Physiotherapy & Hand Therapy

    Feb 03, 22 12:16 AM

    Tendonitis, tendinopathy and tendinosis are all tendon injuries and treated by physiotherapists and hand therapists

    Read More

  4. Cervical Spondylosis Physiotherapy

    Jan 11, 22 02:01 AM

    Cervical spondylosis is a general term to describe the degenerative condition in the neck which results in pain and other symptoms

    Read More

  5. Tendon Pain Tendinopathy Physiotherapy

    Jan 07, 22 12:28 AM

    Tendinopathy (tendon injuries) can develop in any tendon of the body and has many names such as tendinitis and it can be treated with good tendon physiotherapy

    Read More

  6. The importance of staging and compression in tendinopathy physio

    Dec 15, 21 01:47 AM

    Tendon problems are common in runners and can become a persistent issue if not properly treated.

    Read More

  7. Tendon Pain Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy

    Dec 14, 21 11:23 PM

    Pain and pathology in a tendon, known as tendinopathy, is a common injury in athletes that can be difficult to manage. Physio and hand therapy can help healing

    Read More

  8. Tendon Injuries Physiotherapy, Hand Therapy, TCM & Massage

    Dec 07, 21 01:31 AM

    We use the world’s best tendon recovery programs through cutting edge treatment techniques for all tendon injuries (and tendon injuries differ accordingly)

    Read More

  9. Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy at Tampines Singapore

    Nov 28, 21 12:08 AM

    Phoenix Rehab Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy at Tampines Singapore

    Read More

  10. Mallet Finger Tendon Injury Rupture Hand Therapy

    Nov 17, 21 12:30 AM

    Mallet finger is an injury to the thin tendon that straightens the end joint of a finger or thumb.

    Read More