Baker's cyst of the knee

01.12.2020

A Baker's cyst is a ball-shaped lump on the back of the knee joint. At its core, a cyst is a popliteal capsule filled with fluid. When the knee joint is bent, the ball is practically invisible. But when it is extended, the seal comes out and it becomes possible to palpate it.

The size of a popliteal hernia can reach 10 cm. Despite the fact that this disease is a benign tumor, at the same time this pathology can be classified as dangerous due to possible complications. The disease occurs in both adults and children. In its advanced state, Baker's cyst negatively affects a person's musculoskeletal system and can lead to the need for surgical intervention.

What factors contribute to the appearance of a cyst?

Before identifying the reasons for the formation of a popliteal hernia, it is necessary to understand what a cyst is. On the back of the knee joint there is a so-called bursa, which in normal condition does not manifest itself in any way. But when an inflammatory process occurs, joint fluid begins to form faster than it can be absorbed.

Due to the anatomical structure of the knee, when it bends, excess fluid begins to be forced into the posterior sections, where it accumulates in the capsule. The longer the excessive secretion of synovial fluid occurs, the larger the hernia becomes.

The main reasons contributing to the development of cysts, experts include:

knee injuries of varying severity;
excessive and systematic stress on the legs;
professional sports;
overweight;
damage to the cartilage tissue of the joints;
meniscus pathology;
osteoarthritis, arthritis, chronic synovitis.

Despite the fact that damage to the knee joint can occur at any age, older people are most often at risk, since age-related changes in the body negatively affect the general condition of the musculoskeletal system.

Patient reviews

Reviews about the removal of Baker's cyst of the knee joint are mostly positive. But there are also patients who remain dissatisfied with the therapy performed. Not everyone wants to undergo surgery. But sometimes there is simply no other way.

Therefore, doctors recommend not to let the disease progress. Detect it in a timely manner and begin adequate treatment. In some patients, after puncture, fluid collected again inside the cavity. It is important to accurately determine the cause of the cyst. This is the only way to remove it forever and not be afraid of relapses.

What are the symptoms of a Baker's cyst?

The danger of the disease lies in the fact that in the initial stages it does not manifest itself in any way. As the hernia develops, pain begins to appear. At first, the pain may only bother you during physical activity or long-term walking. A constant feeling of discomfort occurs when the bag is almost completely filled with liquid. In this case, the capsule begins to irritate the nerve structures of the knee joint, causing severe attacks of aching pain. Along with pain, the following symptoms are observed:

inability to fully bend the knee;
swelling of the leg;
tingling in the affected area;
decreased physical activity;
numbness of soft tissues.

In advanced cases, the knee and lower leg can swell greatly, and the slightest movement brings acute pain. That is why it is very important to seek specialized help in a timely manner (even at the stage of the appearance of a small ball in the knee cavity) before obvious symptoms of joint damage appear.

Recommendations for implementation

Before you start doing gymnastics, read the general recommendations for doing them.

Never begin exercises without first warming up and stretching your leg muscles. Before starting classes, there should always be a preparatory stage, which allows you to give elasticity to the ligamentous apparatus and flexibility to the muscles.
During the training process, all movements should be soft, slow and measured. Sudden movements can make the situation worse, and instead of a positive result, you may get the opposite effect.
Physical exercise should not be accompanied by severe painful sensations. The appearance of sharp pain in the affected knee signals an immediate cessation of training. If pain occurs, you should immediately contact medical staff for help and advice.
No unnecessary loads. It is worth abandoning active sports with increased stress on the knee joints. Quite often, such a decision may be forced, since soreness will not allow training.
Try to conduct training using soft floor coverings. Hard coatings do not absorb shock, which can lead to discomfort and increased stress.
It is recommended to include walking in a set of physical exercises. Slowly and at a measured pace, as a rule, at home, include movements within the room, or on the spot. 20 minutes a day of such a load will be quite enough.
It will be useful to do exercises in water. Visiting the pool allows you to reduce the load on the knee joints and nearby muscles, makes movements soft and smooth due to the density of the water.
Exercises with greater flexion of the knee joint, more than 90 degrees, should be avoided. Such exercises include, for example, full squats.
The vertical position of the body will place additional stress not only on the knee joints, but also on the musculoskeletal system as a whole. When conducting gymnastic exercises, the body position should be periodically changed from a standing position to a sitting and lying position. The proportion of exercises with axial load should be minimal.
Always alternate physical activity on your knee joints with rest. In this case, the effect of the exercises will be greatest, and the distribution of the load on the affected areas of the body will be optimal.
Do not refuse to consult with your doctor and physiotherapist to develop a set of exercises and adjust it during the treatment process. This approach will allow you to competently and systematically move towards the intended goal, gradually increasing the load on the organ affected by the cyst.

It is worth remembering that therapeutic exercises are only part of a set of measures for the treatment of Baker's cyst of the knee joint. Monitoring the course of the disease by medical personnel is mandatory, since cystoid formation is dangerous due to its complications, which can be caused by improper selection and implementation of exercises. Complications include compression of nearby nerves, blood vessels and muscle tissue by the anomaly, which can lead to limited mobility of the limb, as well as rupture of the cyst.

What are the consequences of the disease?

If the hernia is not treated, it leads to thinning of the popliteal bursa, where the synovial fluid is collected. As a result, the capsule may rupture, and all the fluid begins to spread throughout the calf muscle. This complication is accompanied by severe swelling of the lower leg, redness of the popliteal cavity, increased temperature and the occurrence of acute pain in the joints.

Another rather dangerous complication is when the capsule does not rupture, but rapidly increases in size and begins to put pressure on the walls of blood vessels. This leads to their inflammation and the appearance of thrombophlebitis, varicose veins and thrombosis. It is worth noting that thrombosis is a fatal disease. A blood clot that breaks off can cause a stroke or block a pulmonary artery.

Cyst treatment methods

First of all, treatment tactics depend on the severity of the pathology, the location of the cyst, the presence of concomitant complications, the age of the patient and the cause of damage to the knee joint. That is why it is important that the treatment is carried out by an experienced doctor who can select a comprehensive treatment, depending on the individual characteristics of the disease.

Complex therapy for Baker's cyst includes:

Taking medications. Drug therapy is aimed at relieving pain and inflammatory symptoms. The doctor selects medications depending on the degree of development of symptoms.
Drainage. This method involves sucking out accumulated fluid from the capsule by inserting a thick needle into its cavity. Drainage quickly relieves swelling and reduces pain.
Physiotherapy. Most often, doctors resort to treatment with a pulsed electromagnetic field, which penetrates the affected joint cells and restores them.

Conservative intervention involves wearing a bandage made of an elastic or regular bandage, firmly fixing the site of the lesion. The bandage should be applied carefully; it should be tight enough without interfering with normal blood circulation. During the rehabilitation period, the patient is recommended to rest completely and avoid physical activity.

Inpatient treatment is possible only in the early stages of the disease. In advanced cases, surgical intervention is inevitable. During the operation, the tumor is excised and completely removed. The operation itself is performed under local anesthesia and takes no more than 30 minutes.

After surgery, the patient is sent home and is prescribed physical therapy, massages and physiotherapy. The sutures are removed after 5-7 days, and complete recovery, subject to the recommendations of the attending physician, occurs after 14 days.

Complex of Bubnovsky Exercises

in the picture “Professor Sergei Mikhailovich Bubnovsky”

Professor S. M. Bubnovsky spent a lot of time developing exercise therapy complexes, the purpose of which is to prolong the functioning of the joints and spine. Exercises for Baker's cyst of the knee joint, developed by the professor, increase the elasticity of the ligaments and restore motor ability. To perform the exercises that the professor developed, you will need a rubber expander. It is recommended to buy it to perform gymnastics at home.

The expander is attached to the support

The second piece of equipment is attached to the ankle. The patient should get on all fours. The back should be near the support, the expander must be tensioned. From this position you should reach with your lower limb to your stomach. Then the knee is bent and the tape is stretched. Then return to the starting position. Similar exercises should be performed 10 times for the left and right limbs.

Another exercise with an expander

We bend the equipment twice and throw it over the door (the level should be slightly above the waist). We connect both ends of the equipment and attach it to the ankles. We lie down on our backs. The expander remains in a tense state. Then we pull both knees to the lower abdomen. It is important to create resistance to the stretched elastic band. It is enough to perform 15–20 repetitions per day.

General recommendations for gymnastic exercises

It is important to remember: Carry out physical therapy only in compliance with specific rules. We present them below:

Be sure to warm up your muscle fibers before exercise therapy and do stretching. After warming up, the muscle fibers become flexible and warm. Therefore, they suffer less from stress. Stretching muscles and leisurely walking increase heart rate and breathing. These processes have a beneficial effect on overall physical health. state.
Avoid high-impact gymnastic exercises. Strong loads on the knee area occur when playing squash, badminton, tennis, basketball, and football. The games feature sharp starts, turns, stops, jumps with subsequent landings. If you have knee pain, jumping is strictly contraindicated.
It is forbidden to overwork the muscles. If muscle fibers are tired, they are unable to absorb the load. This puts additional stress on the knees. An exercise program should be started slowly. You cannot increase the load every day. To optimize the load during training, it is recommended to alternate between walking and swimming.
The exercises should be performed on a special surface. To keep it soft, it is recommended to purchase a mat. Running and walking on the asphalt are considered a bad idea. These surfaces are unable to absorb shock. The best options are grass and dirt roads. These surfaces absorb vibration. It is also possible to walk and run on paths. Their surface is suitable.

Exercise in water

They will help in cases where the patient finds it difficult to perform exercises. In the water, the load is removed from the knees. There is less stress on the joints.

Walk more

For knee pain, walking is considered a suitable option. For severe pain, it is recommended to walk for up to 20 minutes. per day. Daily walks help you lose weight. And this further reduces the load on the knee.

Strengthen muscle fibers

A strong muscle corset helps compensate for weak, injured tendons, joints, and ligaments. The knee is supported by the quadriceps muscles and hamstrings. To strengthen the quadriceps femoris muscle, walk backwards and lift the leg (it should be straight) from a lying position. Strengthening the quadriceps helps strengthen the hamstrings.

Do not bend your knees more than 90 degrees. It is advisable to avoid full squats and leg presses. These exercises typically require bending the knee more than the specified 90 degrees. This puts increased strain and pressure on the knees.

The use of exercise equipment with reduced load on the knees

Elliptical trainers and exercise bikes are ideal for this. They provide an excellent aerobic workout. In this case, the knee joints are not loaded. Recumbent exercise bikes are considered better. Thanks to the vertical position, the load on the knees is further reduced.

When performing therapeutic exercises, do not overdo it. Otherwise, the condition may worsen. The first exercises should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist, a physiotherapist.