Anyone had Baker's Cyst knee problems?

[sabbott]

I was just getting going upping my walking distance in preparation for my October Camino when I developed a painful knee condition. It's called Baker's Cyst, and is an accumulation of fluid in the back of the knee that causes stiffness and general leg pain.

If any of you have had this, please let me know what you did to recover, and how long it took to get back to normal. The medical help I'm getting is unclear on how long it will take to walk comfortably again. I know the forum isn't a substitute for professional care (having read that many times here!), but bring on the personal anecdotes and advice if you have them. I'm demoralized....I want to get walking!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Well... I was having a lovely time on VDLP when my knee snapped and I was no longer able to put any weight on it. Never loved my poles so much. After two days of rest and npt enough improvement with rest, I saw a doc in Spain who said stretched ligaments, it will take a whole to get better. I came home.

Still no improvement so I hauled myself to the ER. After xray ER doc said Baker's cyst. Rest, a lot. Still not good so went to my doc who is sending me for an MRI to look for cruciate ligaments or meniscus issues. He doesn't beleive in the Baker Cyst because whole the snap was in the back the pain is in the front, I have little swelling and none of the feeling of dripping liquid inside the leg which I should apparently have.

I don't know why ER doc thought Baker's cyst, oh, with some arthritis, as if that just happened feom one day to the next to such an extent) but when I get the MRI I can come back and let you know. My kneep snapped on Easter weekend, so ... two months ago, and I am still in pain, not doing stairs normally, and with pain even when not moving my knee. Not good.

I hope you heal much faster than me and that ypu can still go off to the Caminos in October.

 

[sabbott]

Sorry to hear this, Anemone! Keep us posted. I hope you feel better and are back to long walks soon.

Well... I was having a lovely time on VDLP when my knee snapped and I was no longer able to put any weight on it. Never loved my poles so much. After two days of rest and npt enough improvement with rest, I saw a doc in Spain who said stretched ligaments, it will take a whole to get better.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Sorry to hear this, Anemone! Keep us posted. I hope you feel better and are back to long walks soon.

It was very disappointing to come home as for once I was planning 7 weeks and not 3, but every day still in pain during the days I was supposed to be in pain I was feeling ok since at least I had not come home for no reason. THAT would have been a real bummer.

What about some Physical Therapy to make sure you are 100% by October?

 

[sabbott]

It was very disappointing to come home as for once I was planning 7 weeks and not 3, but every day still in pain during the days I was supposed to be in pain I was feeling ok since at least I had not come home for no reason. THAT would have been a real bummer.

What about some Physical Therapy to make sure you are 100% by October?

Yes, I have an appointment to get exercises for strength. Sorry your trip was cut short. You'll get back out there!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I'll get back out there, but now for 2 weeks, twice a year. I'm getting old!

 

[SabsP]

@sabbott

I too had to come home this year end of March due to knee issues. No snapping here of my knee, just from one day to the other...very much in pain especially going downhill and long sitting.
Even with ice and painkillers it did not improve on the camino so went home.

Echo of knee saw no ligaments issues. MRI is in two weeks time.

But yes, like me , go to a physiotherapist. he helped me a lot, gave a bunch of information and excercises for home.
He thinks the knee issue is a small part of the mensicus and/ or patella. But I will know more in two weeks.
Now after tow months I'm able to walk again for 8k. but without a backpack.

Just take it easy but if you can, do visit a physio! All the best.

 

[HeidiL]

I had a Baker's cyst some years ago, but not on the Camino. I saw my MR images, a grape-sized water balloon right inside the knee joint, quite painful.

I was on crutches and taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs for several weeks and waiting to have the cyst drained when I was a little careless sitting down in a low chair one day because my crutch slipped. It hurt like hell for two seconds, and then the pain was completely gone - I got up from the chair carrying my crutches and went to tae kwon do training three days later, after a new MR had confirmed that I'd POPPED the cyst. You could see the ragged edges of the "balloon" when they enlarged the picture on a tv screen.

This is probably not the correct way to handle such things, but my physician didn't yell at me, just shook his head and said "you and your stupid pain threshold..."

 

[Jersey]

I was just getting going upping my walking distance in preparation for my October Camino when I developed a painful knee condition. It's called Baker's Cyst, and is an accumulation of fluid in the back of the knee that causes stiffness and general leg pain.

If any of you have had this, please let me know what you did to recover, and how long it took to get back to normal. The medical help I'm getting is unclear on how long it will take to walk comfortably again. I know the forum isn't a substitute for professional care (having read that many times here!), but bring on the personal anecdotes and advice if you have them. I'm demoralized....I want to get walking!

Have you had an MRI yet?
I've just had my fourth orthopedic surgery ( shoulder, elbow & hand )
Nothing has ever showed up on an x-ray.
Every single time it was the MRI that showed the problem.
Unless a broken bone is suspected I have no idea why they bother with an x-ray.
My son in law tore his meniscus last year. Soon as the swelling went down into the MRI. Surgery a few days later & back to work the following week.
My opinion & experience is that too many doctors drag these things out with physical therapy before they even do an MRI.

 

[SabsP]

Have you had an MRI yet?
I've just had my fourth orthopedic surgery ( shoulder, elbow & hand )
Nothing has ever showed up on an x-ray.
Every single time it was the MRI that showed the problem.
Unless a broken bone is suspected I have no idea why they bother with an x-ray.
My son in law tore his meniscus last year. Soon as the swelling went down into the MRI. Surgery a few days later & back to work the following week.
My opinion & experience is that too many doctors drag these things out with physical therapy before they even do an MRI.

What I think is that only when it is clear that the meniscus is effectively torn they will do an urgent MRI. All other kind of ailments most doctors believe in physical therapy and relative rest.
Maybe also because in lots of countries here in Europe a non urgent appointment for an MRI takes five to six weeks ( here in Belgium anyway). But you are correct : with an X-ray you cannot always diagnose a meniscus problem.

 

[Jersey]

What I think is that only when it is clear that the meniscus is effectively torn they will do an urgent MRI. All other kind of ailments most doctors believe in physical therapy and relative rest.
Maybe also because in lots of countries here in Europe a non urgent appointment for an MRI takes five to six weeks ( here in Belgium anyway). But you are correct : with an X-ray you cannot always diagnose a meniscus problem.

That sounds like how our workmens comp medical works
( when you get hurt on the job )
Six weeks out of work doing physical therapy. Still no better.
Finally they do a MRI. Another week goes by before you even get the results & then another few weeks before they get you into surgery.
Meanwhile you could have been out of pain & back to work already.

 

[sabbott]

Here's the latest: I was getting a little better and got up from a chair in a slightly awkward way, heard a "pop" at the back of the already painful knee, and then couldn't even stand on it because of pain. Went to urgent care, they did an X-ray (no MRI there) and decided I didn't have a Bakers Cyst or miniscus problem, probably it's a ligament that's gotten damaged on the outside of knee. They gave me a flexible knee brace to wear until pain is better.
Then I got the flu, went to bed for four days--and got up with no knee pain! No idea why. So I'm going to keep doing strengthening exercises, slowly increase walking, not do a running program, and use the brace if I feel any twinges. It's all quite mysterious....hope everyone who wrote is soon on the mend!

 

[HeidiL]

Knees are strange. I hope your knee remains painfree, and that you soon get to walk a camino again.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Here's the latest: I was getting a little better and got up from a chair in a slightly awkward way, heard a "pop" at the back of the already painful knee, and then couldn't even stand on it because of pain ... probably it's a ligament that's gotten damaged on the outside of knee. They gave me a flexible knee brace to wear until pain is better.
!

Sounds like the pain I had, but in my case it was now 6 weeks ago and while there has been great improvement I am still in pain and limping, MRI on the 25th. Glad things got better so quickly for you.

 

[sabbott]

Here's an update three months later! I didn't have a baker's cyst, it was a "bone bruise" probably caused by running up hills when I started a jogging program last spring. (Just walking for me from now on!) Bone bruises, it turns out, take a very long time to heal. I spent the summer on crutches and in a wheelchair.

Now, with the help of resting, PT exercises, and my rowing machine, I am back on my feet. I'm starting to walk short distances, and slowly building up to being able to take a real walk again. But slowly....

I had to cancel my Portuguese Camino planned for October--but am thinking ahead to next year. My doctor says he doesn't see a reason why I can't do a long walk again. Made me smile and feel happy inside when I heard that....

 

[sabbott]

Well... I was having a lovely time on VDLP when my knee snapped and I was no longer able to put any weight on it. Never loved my poles so much. After two days of rest and npt enough improvement with rest, I saw a doc in Spain who said stretched ligaments, it will take a whole to get better. I came home.

Still no improvement so I hauled myself to the ER. After xray ER doc said Baker's cyst. Rest, a lot. Still not good so went to my doc who is sending me for an MRI to look for cruciate ligaments or meniscus issues. He doesn't beleive in the Baker Cyst because whole the snap was in the back the pain is in the front, I have little swelling and none of the feeling of dripping liquid inside the leg which I should apparently have.

I don't know why ER doc thought Baker's cyst, oh, with some arthritis, as if that just happened feom one day to the next to such an extent) but when I get the MRI I can come back and let you know. My kneep snapped on Easter weekend, so ... two months ago, and I am still in pain, not doing stairs normally, and with pain even when not moving my knee. Not good.

I hope you heal much faster than me and that ypu can still go off to the Caminos in October.

How are you doing now, Anemone? Hope you are walking ok again.