What Is a Baker’s Cyst?

A Baker’s cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is a pocket of fluid that forms at the back of the knee. It develops when excess joint fluid is pushed into a small sac behind the knee. The swelling can cause pain and discomfort and result in the strange lump on the back of the knee.

How to tell if a Lump behind the knee is a Baker’s Cyst?

A true diagnosis can only be made with imaging. However, our trained professionals will be able to look for certain signs, such as:

• A soft or firm lump behind the knee
• Swelling that becomes more noticeable after standing or activity
• A feeling of tightness when bending or straightening the knee
• Mild aching or stiffness around the knee
• Shrinkage of the lump when the knee is bent, and enlargement when the leg is straight

Other conditions such as blood clots, tumors, swollen lymph nodes, or even aneurysms can also cause a lump behind the knee – so it is important to have any new or unexplained swelling assessed by a healthcare provider.

What Causes a Baker’s Cyst?

A Baker’s cyst develops because the knee is producing too much joint fluid. Common causes include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Meniscus (cartilage) tears
• Knee injuries
• Other inflammatory conditions affecting the knee joint

Treating the underlying cause is vital to reducing or eliminating the cyst. Most Baker’s cysts are not serious and can often be managed without surgery.

However, you should seek medical attention if:

• The lump appears suddenly.
• The pain becomes severe.
• Your knee locks or gives way.
• Your calf becomes swollen, red, warm, or very painful.
• You have difficulty walking or bearing weight.

Occasionally, a Baker’s cyst can rupture, causing pain and swelling in the calf that may mimic a blood clot. Because these symptoms can look very similar, prompt medical assessment is recommended.

Treatment for a Baker’s Cyst

Treatment depends on what is causing the excess joint fluid. Options may include:

• Rest and reduced activity
• Ice, compression, and elevation
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Physiotherapy and bracing
• Steroid injections or drainage
• Supportive orthotics/footwear
• Surgery if significant damage within the knee requires repair

Simply draining the cyst without treating the underlying knee problem often leads to recurrence.

How Can We Help?

Although a Baker’s cyst is treated by your physician or orthopedic specialist, abnormal foot mechanics can contribute to increased stress on the knee. Clinicians at BioPed clinics will assess your mechanics as part of a routine visit. This includes a biomechanical assessment, footwear discussion, and reviewing your activity history. Treatments may include supportive braces, orthotic intervention, footwear and exercises to build strength.

If this sounds like something you are struggling with, book an appointment at your nearest BioPed location today!

The post What is a Baker’s Cyst? Should I be concerned? appeared first on Relieve Foot Pain & Leg Pain.

Which Knee Brace Is Right for My Injury?

Not all knee braces are the same. The best brace for you depends on your specific needs. The brace that may work for your friend may not be the right fit for you. Here are some different styles of braces:

Unloader Braces: These braces are designed, as the name indicates, to offload and redistribute pressure within the knee joint. These braces tend to be designed for people with Osteoarthritis and have hinges. They greatly improve the mobility and comfort of the wearer. An example of this type of brace would be the DonJoy OA Fullforce Unloader knee brace.

Hinged Knee Braces: These braces often include side supports to stabilize the knee joint. They are commonly recommended for ligament injuries or used after certain knee injuries. Examples of this style of brace would be the Bauerfeind GenuTrain S, which combines a compressive sleeve as well as side hinges for side-to-side stability.

Patellar Stabilizing Braces:  These braces help guide and stabilize the kneecap. These braces usually have padding around the kneecap and are ideal for clients who have patellofemoral pain. An example of this style of brace would be the Bauerfeind GenuTrain P3.

Compression Sleeves: These braces tend to be less bulky with mild compression to help reduce swelling and are typically used for mild cases of arthritis, general knee discomfort or minor strains. An example of this type of brace would be the DJO Genuforce knee brace.

Choosing the correct brace can sometimes be confusing, some may not provide adequate support, but over-bracing can be unnecessary, uncomfortable and can limit your movement for certain activities. A BioPed clinician can evaluate your knee mechanics, activity demand and overall lower extremity function and guide you to make the correct bracing choice.

Will Wearing a Knee Brace Make My Knee Stronger or Weaker?

This is the most common concern for clients. A knee brace itself does not make muscles stronger or weaker. The brace provides support, stability and increases confidence when moving. It is a valuable tool to help keep you doing what you love to do. Braces empower you to be able to continue exercising, which increases muscle strength and overall lower extremity function.

How Long Should I Wear a Knee Brace?

This depends on your condition or injury. Some clients may only need to wear a brace when doing certain activities, such as playing sports, exercising, or walking long distances. Some people may need to wear their knee brace all day. This is common right after an injury or surgery.

What Else Can I Do?

People often wonder whether there is anything else I can do in combination with my knee brace? And the answer is yes! Many clients benefit from a combination of strategies such as:

1. Proper footwear: Proper footwear can help support the arch and properly align the foot, taking pressure off the ankles, knees and hips.
2. Custom Orthotics: Custom orthotics help by evenly distributing the weight of the body and aligning the foot, reducing stress on the ankles, knees and hips.
3. Activity Modification: Decreasing activity level, especially right after injury, can help reduce strain on the injured knee.
4. Strengthening Exercises: Strengthening the muscles of the hips, thighs, and lower legs can help support the knee.

Knee braces are an effective tool for managing a wide range of conditions. However, if you are confused about which brace would be right for you, a BioPed clinician can help. They can assess your needs and recommend a treatment plan that fits your lifestyle and goals. Remember, a knee brace can help you stay active and move more confidently so you can do more of what you love.

The post Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions About Knee Bracing appeared first on Relieve Foot Pain & Leg Pain.

Overuse and Repetitive Strain

Doing too much too quickly, for instance increasing your walking or running distance, or starting a new workout can irritate the ligaments and tendons around your knee.

What Helps:

• Ice after the activity to reduce swelling
• Temporary activity modification, with gradual return to movement
• Supportive footwear or orthotics to help with alignment of the foot, ankle and leg
• Knee sleeve with mild compression to reduce swelling and support the ligaments around the knee

Muscle Weakness or Imbalance

Weak hips, thighs or calf muscles can place extra stress on the knee joints. This increases the strain put on the knee and can cause swelling and pain. This is often associated with people that have a sedentary lifestyle or sit for prolonged periods. Many of the thigh muscles extend across the knee joint, and when they are weak or tight it can cause knee pain.

What Helps:

• Strength training and stretching exercises, especially for the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. (e.g. squats or lunges)
• Balance and Stability exercises, and physical therapy to help strengthen the core, gluteal muscles and upper extremities

Patellofemoral Pain (Runner’s Knee)

Pain around the upper kneecap due to improper tracking of the joint or muscle imbalance. This injury is often seen in individuals who are over training (Marathon or long-distance runners). Other causes are poor foot alignment in gait, weak hamstrings, or tight Achilles tendons.

What Helps:

• Strength training exercises, focused on the hamstrings
• Cold packs/ ice to reduce swelling
• Compression knee braces to support the knee cap
• Orthotics to help align the foot
• Kinesiology tape to secure the knee cap, and offload the soft tissue

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (or OA) is very common in middle and beyond. It is a progressive degenerative joint disease, meaning that the cartilage in the knee slowly breaks down with age. This leads to stiffness, swelling, pain, locking joints and reduced mobility. Age plays a key role in the prevalence of OA, but other factors that can affect OA are obesity, injuries or overuse of the knee joint, or genetics.

What Helps:

• Low -impact exercises like walking or biking
• Weight management, maintaining a healthy weight takes stress of the knees
• Knee braces to offload pressure and reduce pain
• Supportive footwear and orthotics to improve the alignment of the lower extremities

Ligament Strain or Injury

Muscle strains or sprains of the collateral ligaments (“ACL” or “MCL”) from sudden movements or due to sport injuries. This injury can affect any age, especially for those that do sports that have a lot of twisting or pivoting movements.

What Helps:

• Physiotherapy targeted at strengthening the knee
• Knee braces that offload either the ACL or MCL
• Limited activity in acute stages, gradual return to activity
• Possibly surgery to address a tear

Meniscus Irritation or Tear

Common knee injury involving small tears or damage to the meniscus of the knee. Often caused by twisting, or pivoting during sports, however it can be age related. It feels like the knee is locking in place and stiff.

What Helps:

• Knee bracing to stabilize the knee
• Physiotherapy
• Rest to avoid further damage
• Surgery if needed to repair the tear

Poor Foot Mechanics

When a person has flat feet or high arches, it changes the way they walk, and how the forces travel up the lower extremity. Flat feet can cause the rolling inward of the foot or overpronation. This causes excess stress on the knee joint, especially the inside of the knee. While high arches can cause a person to turn outward or over supinate, causing stress on the outside of the knee.

What Helps:

• Proper footwear, like a motion control shoe, that helps prevent the foot turning inward or outward.
• Orthotics help to align the foot properly.

Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome

This is a condition that many people face. The IT Band is a long piece of connective tissue spanning from the upper thigh to knee. When this band is inflamed it causes a sharp pain on the outside of the knee. It is commonly caused by overuse or repetitive motions, such as running or biking.

What Helps:

• Foam rolling the outer thigh and stretching the thighs daily
• Physiotherapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles
• Reduced activity and ice to reduce the swelling
• Knee sleeve to help reduce the swelling

Improper Footwear

Worn out or unsupportive shoes can affect the alignment and shock absorption of the foot and therefore lower extremity. Many people wear the outside of the shoes down first. By not replacing the shoe often can cause you to over supinate and stress the knees.

What Helps:

• Replacing shoes regularly; We suggest every 6 months if worn daily
• Choose footwear suited to the activity

If your knee pain is worsening or persistent and it is limiting your ability to do more of what you love, it is time to connect with a BioPed clinician. They can assess your lower extremities and help guide you towards a solution, whether it is a knee brace, new shoe or an orthotic. BioPed is there to help you get back to doing more of the activities you love.

The post Is bracing the only solution for my knee pain? Causes, treatment options, and prevention appeared first on Relieve Foot Pain & Leg Pain.

Myth 1: Braces Are Only for Athletes

The Truth: Knee braces are for anyone who wants to stay active or manage knee pain, regardless of age or activity level. Knee braces can help manage arthritis, allowing you to do the things you loved before knee pain. They can also be used to support the knee during physical activities, making you feel more confident with each stride.

Myth 2: Knee Braces Weaken Your Muscles

The Truth: A properly fitted knee brace supports your joint; it does not replace the muscles around it. The knee brace will help by lessening the physical demand and on your knee, allowing you to move more comfortably while you recover.

Myth 3: Knee Braces Are Always Uncomfortable

The Truth: Modern braces are designed in away to give maximum support, while still being comfortable. Comfort comes down to the fit and function of the brace. Off the shelf braces are readily available in many sizes and styles. However, a custom brace can provide an even better fit, and therefore comfort, allowing you to keep doing what you love.

Myth 4: A knee Brace Will Prevent All Injuries

The Truth: While braces can lower your risk of certain injuries, they are not a shield. No brace, even custom ones can guarantee you won’t get injured. However, they can provide, support, reduce strain and there for boost your confidence. Pairing a brace with properly fitted shoes meant for the activity can help you stay safe, but active.

Myth 5: You Only Need a Brace for Serious Injury

The Truth: You do not have to wait until you are in extreme pain. Knee braces can be used to help with minor joint stiffness to chronic conditions, like osteoarthritis. In fact, the sooner you address the misalignment or instability, the better the chances are of preventing further damage or injury.

Visit a BioPed Clinic Near You

It can be overwhelming at times to navigate the information on the internet about knee bracing. However, at BioPed, our goal is to help you find the best fit, so you can keep doing more of what you love!

The post The Top 5 Myths about Knee Bracing – Debunked! appeared first on Relieve Foot Pain & Leg Pain.