Contents
Bursitis of the knee is an inflammatory disease. It affects the periarticular bags of the knee joint with the accumulation of exudate in them. The knee joint is the most vulnerable due to its position and fragility, which is why it needs the closest attention.
Causes of knee bursitis
The main reasons for the development of bursitis are:
prolonged loads on the knee joint (as a result of which the muscles are constantly in a tense state and, as a result, gradually become thinner);
damage to the skin in the area of the knee joint (this may be a catalyst for the formation of infections);
open wounds in the knee area;
any form of sepsis (it has a positive effect on infection and the formation of cysts, including numerous ones);
excessively high body index (for this reason, there is also a significant load on the knee joint, as a result of which it remains weakened);
concomitant diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, gout or psoriasis (you need to be especially careful with them, because they provoke the formation of a chronic form of bursitis).
At the same time, each type of bursitis is characterized by individual provoking factors, more on this later in the article.
Symptoms of knee bursitis
Symptoms of knee bursitis include:
painful sensations;
change in the shape of the knee;
slight swelling in the area of soft tissues (soft tissues change color, which remains unchanged for a week);
redness and change in the skin to the touch (skin becomes hot);
inability to move the knee joint.
The severity and nature of manifestations depend on the localization of bursitis.
Types of knee bursitis
There are three types of knee bursitis, namely prepatellar, infrapatellar, and suprapatellar. Baker’s cysts, which are tumor-like masses in the popliteal region and septic bursitis, should be included in a special group.
The name of each of the presented types of bursitis is just a type of bag that is located in the knee joint. If it is damaged and not cured in time, it becomes inflamed and suppurated, which is bursitis in the late stage. Depending on its localization, problems may arise in the framework of treatment and even diagnosis.
Prepatellar bursitis of the knee
A feature of bursitis of the knee joint of the prepatellar type is that it is located in the upper part. This pathology begins to manifest itself a little above the patella. At the same time, pain syndrome is noted in the process of extension and flexion of the knee. The prepatellar type is even more intense when the load is increased.
Its diagnosis and subsequent treatment are extremely simple and do not constitute any difficulties. It is this type of disease that most often manifests itself in people over 60 years of age and acquires chronic forms. With such a development of events, treatment is almost impossible or ineffective. In this connection, a person loses the ability to fully move around.
Baker’s cysts
A Baker’s cyst is a growth in the fossa below the knee that is soft and elastic to the touch. This cyst is characterized by the fact that the skin over the swelling remains of a normal shade and at the same time it is not soldered to adjacent tissues. Thus, it can be easily determined by touch, even without being a specialist.
The neoplasm appears most intensively when the knee is in an extended state. In the process of bending, its dimensions become smaller or it completely ceases to be visible to the eye. With more significant parameters of the Baker’s cyst, swelling in the knee joint area may become apparent.
The main complaints are:
lack of comfort, feeling of pressure and pain in the area under the knee;
the presence of swelling in the area;
inability to move in the knee joint;
sudden blockage of the knee muscles.
Treatment of the formation can be either conservative or surgical. The second method is much more efficient and often used.
Infrapatellar bursitis of the knee
Infrapatellar bursitis of the knee joint is an inflammation of the synovial bursa under the area of the patella near the main tendon. The reason for the formation of such bursitis is most often the injury of one of the tendons next to the synovial bag.
Mostly, this is an occupational disease that occurs in athletes – runners and jumpers. Therefore, very often it becomes chronic and, at the same time, may be due to genetic factors.
Septic bursitis of the knee
This form of the disease is detected as a consequence of infection, which, in turn, begins to develop, being a consequence of the active influence of microbes.
Penetration in this case is carried out through an injured skin or minor injury. In certain situations, the cause of the inflammatory process of the periarticular bags are microbes that are inside the body and provoke ailments in other organs and tissues.
This form is characterized by a severe course, and its treatment must be carried out as soon as possible, because, if it is not carried out on time, the formation of gangrene and amputation is likely.
Suprapatellar bursitis of the knee
A characteristic feature should be considered the presence in the upper region of the knee joint of a round-shaped tumor that does not hurt. At the same time, it has a soft texture and sizes up to 10 centimeters.
Patients, on the other hand, face serious signs of the disease, such as malaise, pain in the knee area, a decrease in the degree of knee mobility, high temperature, which does not decrease during the day.
In certain cases, the transition of this type of bursitis into a chronic form is likely due to deposits of calcium salts in the joint area. With such a diagnosis, a surgical intervention is carried out, the purpose of which is to remove all deposits from the joint.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of the presented disease is a fairly simple process if inflammation of such a bag occurs, which is located on the surface.
In any case, the diagnostic algorithm is based on the usual signs of a clinical type. It is also possible to facilitate the determination of the diagnosis by puncturing the cavity of the bag. This makes it possible to identify by the content what the nature of the inflammatory process is, which may turn out to be purulent, serous, purulent-hemorrhagic.
As part of the ongoing diagnostics, it is necessary to establish the characteristics of the microflora, the degree of its sensitivity to drugs. This will help to plan further treatment and identify preventive measures.
How to treat knee bursitis?
If we talk about aseptic bursitis, then conservative methods of treatment will be more than effective for a speedy recovery. First of all, those who are sick should be provided with complete rest, maintain an elevated position of the knee. This is done in order to reduce blood flow to the knee area, this immediately reduces pain and significantly reduces swelling.
Compresses with the addition of ice should be applied to the knee area several times a day, but it is recommended to leave them for no more than twenty minutes. The specialist should assess the inflammation and, quite likely, if it is not too pronounced, will advise simple and effective exercises. They will provide the optimal degree of mobility in the knee area.
When inflammation is associated with severe pain, the specialist prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used either orally or as a cream. Often we are talking about corticosteroids, which are introduced into the area of the synovial bag. If there is a suspicion of infection, then the specialist prescribes antibiotics.
In order to prescribe antibiotics, it is not always enough signs of a clinical nature, it may be necessary to carry out laboratory research methods.
To significantly reduce the volume of fluid in the inner part of the bursa, fluid is pumped out of the synovial sac. As a result of these actions, not only edema is significantly reduced, but also pain. Samples of the available fluid are sent for analysis to a special laboratory.
The resulting analysis results make it possible to find out which of the antibiotics are best suited to combat specific flora.
Talking about Baker’s cyst, which can appear in childhood, it should be noted that treatment is not required in many cases. When the course of the disease occurs without being accompanied by pronounced symptoms, the doctor does not intervene and the disease disappears after a certain time.
In chronic bursitis, as well as in significant infection, when drugs do not have the desired effect, surgery may be necessary. In this case, a drain is placed in the area of the bursa or a bursectomy is performed.
Hospitalization is not always necessary to successfully get rid of bursitis. In the event that there are no signs of infection in bursitis, then the treatment process can be carried out at home. At the same time, with the slightest increase in signs or the appearance of a new symptom of the disease, it is necessary to contact a specialist as soon as possible.
Prevention
In order to avoid re-inflammation of the synovial area, it is desirable to bring the treatment to a full recovery, so that the motor skills of the joint have time to recover to the required extent. In the future, you should monitor the strengthening of the muscles of the legs. For this, special exercises are best suited, it is also recommended to prevent hypothermia in the knee area so that the blood supply to the muscular system is always sufficient.
Anyone who has suffered any form of knee bursitis should periodically use elastic patellas. It is they who will support the knee, and provide a compression effect that will reduce the degree of load on the knee joint. In addition, all people who have experienced bursitis are advised to exclude those manipulations that are accompanied by an emphasis on the knee area. Together with drugs, it is necessary to carry out massage, physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, restoration with paraffin, as well as a magnet). Special physical education can also be effective.
All this is carried out already at the last stage of treatment. The purpose of these measures is the absolute elimination of inflammation, stabilization of the knee and expansion of the range of motion in the presented joint.
Thus, today there are a lot of ways to treat knee joint bursitis and each of them is effective. That is why it is important to notice the manifestations of the disease in time, because in this case it will be possible to get rid of it in a matter of weeks without serious emotional and material costs.