A Baker’s cyst, also known as a popliteal cyst, is a fluid-filled swelling that develops at the back of the knee, causing knee pain and stiffness. The condition is named after a 19th-century doctor. A Baker’s cyst is usually caused by existing problems with the knee joint, such as arthritis.
A Baker’s cyst can be a very common complication of conditions that can affect the normal working of the knee joint, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Baker’s cysts are more common in women than men. This may be because women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The condition usually develops in people who are over 40, although it can affect people of any age, including children.
In most cases, a Baker’s cyst will go when the condition causing it has been treated.
There may be some instances, particularly with osteoarthritis, where the cyst remains. Surgery may be required to drain it.
Symptoms of Baker’s cyst
The main symptom of a Baker’s cyst is a swelling or lump behind the knee. This may be your only symptom, and you might find that having it is not a big problem.
Other symptoms of a Baker’s cyst include:
- knee pain,
- calf pain,
- a build-up of fluid around the knee,
- clicking and/or buckling of the knee joint, and
- locking of the knee joint.
Causes of Baker’s cyst
To understand the causes of a Baker’s cyst, it is useful to know how a healthy knee joint works. A knee joint works in a similar way to a mechanical hinge. It uses of two types of specialised tissue:
- tendons: a tough stretchy material that connects muscles to bone, and
- cartilage: a tough, flexible material that acts as a shock absorber within the joint.
As with mechanical hinges, the tendons and cartilage need to be kept lubricated to reduce friction and prevent damage. Synovial fluid in the body does this.
Synovial fluid is pumped around the knee joint by small sacs called bursae. If the knee joint is damaged, the bursae can be put under pressure, which makes them grow. They then begin to pump more synovial fluid than is needed.
If the excess fluid becomes trapped in one of the bursae, it will expand and develop into a Baker’s cyst.
Pre-existing conditions
The health conditions that can lead to a Baker’s cyst are listed below.
- Osteoarthritis: a condition where the joints become damaged over time.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a condition where the immune system attacks the joints, causing them to become inflamed (swollen).
- Gout: a condition where a build-up of uric acid (urate) in the bloodstream causes pain and inflammation in one or more of the joints.
- Reactive arthritis: a condition that is similar to rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system attacks the joints.
- Psoriasis: a condition which mostly affects the skin, although between 10 and 20% of people with psoriasis also experience pain and swelling in their joints.
- Joint infection: also known as septic arthritis.
- Lupus: a condition where the immune system attacks tissues and organs.
- Haemophilia: a condition where the blood lacks the usual blood clotting agents, which can lead to internal bleeding that damages the joints.
Physical injury and trauma to the knee joint can also result in a Baker’s cyst developing. They are a common complication of sports-related injuries.
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