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Baker cyst is one of the potential causes of knee pain, especially among bike riders. Living with a baker cyst as a bike rider is such an uncomfortable experience because it decreases your riding performance and causes severe pain that affects your overall mobility in your daily activities.
Knowing how painful this is, you might be wondering if it is okay to still ride with a baker cyst. Well, we will let you know in this blog post but first, let’s discuss the science of baker cysts, their causes and treatment options.
The science of Baker cysts
Baker cyst is a fluid-filled sac located in the groove behind your knee joint. The fluid within is known as synovial fluid, which lubricates the knee and improves movement among the knee joint component.
When this abnormality accumulates within this space, it swells and forms a cyst accompanied by severe pain. The degree of this swelling determines the severity of the pain and restriction of movement. For some, the accompanying pain might not be as severe as others because the swelling is insignificant.
You might be curious to know why this condition is named baker cyst when it could be named something else. The name Baker cyst comes from the first doctor who described it in the mid 1800s named Dr. William Morrant Baker. It is also called popliteal cyst, a name derived from the location of the cyst.
How does it manifest?
Baker cysts manifest in multiple ways, which include:
- A sharp pain that occurs mostly at the knee or calf, making it difficult to stand, sit and bend your knee.
- A Feeling of pressure down the calf
- Stiffness of the calf muscles
- Swelling of the calf
And when it ruptures, it manifests with symptoms of compartment syndrome, which include:
- Very severe progressive pain
- Feeling of numbness around the legs
- A tingling sensation in the leg region
- Paleness of the skin in the leg area
- Lack of palpable pulse
Note that a baker cyst feels hard when the knee is extended but soft when the knee is bent.
What causes baker cyst?
The inherent cause of baker cyst comes from the joint itself. When there is an over use of the knee joint or a chronic or acute inflammation that causes a tear to the knee meniscus (cushioning knee ligament), it eventually leads to excess fluid production accumulating behind the knee until we see the baker cysts manifest.
This usually occurs due to a meniscus tear from conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. This is because they cause an increase in synovial fluid, leading to excess accumulation that bulges into the popliteal space leading to a swollen knee.
Who are mostly affected by baker cysts?
Medical sources say that adults between the ages of 35 – 70 years and children between 4 – 7 years are most affected. This possibility of its occurrence is higher in these specific groups of individuals if they have any existing chronic inflammatory conditions.
What are some conservative treatment options to help my baker cysts?
Although some baker cysts go away naturally, it is still advisable to adopt conservative measures to aid their healing and prevent further complications like the rupture of these cysts. So, what are these measures you can employ:
- Use anti-inflammatory meds, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, etc, to help reduce the severity of pain.
- Use of ice packs /cryotherapy: Place ice packs in the affected area for 20 minutes (or less) per hour. This will help reduce the swelling by compressing the blood vessels supplying the area. Be extra careful with this method if you have any circulation medical issues.
- Stretches: stretching the area in subsequent times can help improve your leg flexibility and range of motion while still healing.
- Rest: The accompanying pain and swelling get worse with continuous activity, so taking a break and resting the affected area is advised.
Now in a situation where this doesn’t resolve but gets worse, you are advised to meet with a doctor who would help drain the cyst or perform surgery to reduce the build-up. But do not fear, as this is not always the case because most baker cysts often revolve around conservative measures.
Can you still ride your bike with a baker cyst?
This is not recommended as an exercise of whatever form causes stress on the muscles surrounding the cysts that puts pressure on them, further exacerbating the condition.
Nevertheless, you should engage in very light exercises such as taking a short walk but don’t do this repetitively as the continuous movement of any form can lead to irritation of the baker cyst and when this happens, it can lead to chronic cyst, rupture of the cyst, and eventually a scar formation.
So, if you enjoy bike cycling so much, you need to take a break from it until the cysts heal.
Review from others who have experienced baker cysts
Let’s see what others who have had baker cysts have to say about living with the condition from this bike cycling forum.
- Herb5998 explained how it reduced in size after he took some time off and worked on recovery compared to the first time it appeared.
- Onno explained how there is always a constant change in the size and pressure of the cysts since they first appeared.
- Fmradio516 explained how this causes a weird stiffness to the back of his knee.
And check out more reviews from the forum here.
Final thoughts
Although the baker cyst is not detrimental to the health, you are not advised to engage the affected area in any physical activity that will put pressure on it, as it can cause further irritation and damage. Taking the time of bike riding until the cyst heals is advised.
Baker cysts are not the only health condition bike riders experience. There are some others such as cyclist palsy which you should check out here.
