What is a Baker’s Cyst?
Your knee is a large and complex joint where three bones meet—your thigh bone (femur), shin bone (tibia) and kneecap (patella).
Surrounding the joint is a tough capsule filled with a lubricating fluid called synovial fluid. This fluid allows your knee to move freely. Small fluid-filled sacs, known as bursa, cushion the joint and help reduce the friction between tissues caused by movement.
When your knee produces too much synovial fluid, the excess fluid causes the bursa behind the knee to expand and bulge. This is a Baker’s cyst. It may also be called a popliteal cyst. Baker’s cysts can vary in size.
What causes a Baker’s Cyst?
Some of the common causes of Baker’s cyst include:
- Injury – trauma or injury to the knee can cause a build-up of excess fluid
- Torn cartilage – cartilage is a thin cushion on the ends of your bones
- Arthritis – particularly rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
- Infection – can cause fluid to build up around the knee joint
- Unknown causes – Baker’s cysts can sometimes develop for no apparent reason.
Treatment of Baker’s Cyst
Here at the Foot & Ankle Experts. Dr Kim will drain the fluid from your knee using a needle that is guided by ultrasound. This will shrink or remove the Baker’s cyst.
Drainage of the cyst will cause an instant relief in symptoms.
There may need a follow up appointment required a week later, to check on your progress.
