Knee Bursitis Treatment in South Carolina
What is Knee Bursitis?
Knee bursitis is an inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac near your knee joint, known as the bursa. These bags cushion different joints in the body like tiny pillows. When these sacs get swollen, bursitis occurs, and a process called effusion can cause fluid to build up around the joint.
Bursae stop friction and cushion pressure points between your bones and the tendons, muscles, and skin near your joints. Knee bursitis can happen in any of the knee’s bursa, but it most often happens over the kneecap or on the inside of the knee below the joint.
People between the ages of 40 and 60 have knee bursitis frequently. However, many adults don’t realize they have knee bursitis, how to treat it, or when they should see a doctor.
Knee Bursitis Symptoms
Your symptoms will vary depending on how severe your condition is. Common signs and symptoms of knee bursitis include but are not limited to:
- The knee may feel warm to the touch
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Swollen
- Pain when moving or even at rest
- An infected bursa may cause fever or chills
Types of Knee Bursitis
Around the knee joint, there is about eleven bursae, and bursitis can happen in any of them.
The five most common types of knee bursitis include:
- The prepatellar bursa is just under the skin and is right in front of the kneecap.
- Bursitis of the Pes Anserine happens on the inside of the knee
- Semimembranosus bursitis happens when the area behind your knee hurts and swells up
- Infrapatellar bursitis happens just below the kneecap and is often called Clergyman’s knee
- Iliotibial bursitis happens on the outside of the knee
Knee Bursitis Treatment
There are many treatment options available depending on the severity of your condition. These treatments can include:
- Medication in the form of antibiotics if infected
- Rest, ice, compression, and elevation
- Pain relievers
- Physical therapy
- Corticosteroid injections
- Your doctor might drain the affected bursa to get rid of extra fluid and treat swelling
- If you have severe chronic or recurring bursitis that doesn’t get better with other treatments, your doctor may suggest removing the bursa through knee surgery
Knee Bursitis FAQs
What Causes Knee Bursitis?
Causes of knee bursitis include:
- Kneeling for an extended period of time, especially on hard surfaces
- Too much use which can cause friction of the knee bursa
- Muscle tightness of the knee can cause the bursa to become inflamed
- A blow right to the knee
- Infection of the bursa caused by bacteria
- Knee problems caused by complications of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout
How to Prevent Knee Bursitis
In order to try and prevent knee bursitis you can do the following:
- Wear kneepads if you are going to be on your knees
- Take frequent breaks and stretch your legs
- Warm up before exercising
- Avoid excessive squatting
- Maintain a healthy weight
In conclusion, if you have knee pain that does not go away even with rest, seek treatment as you may have bursitis of the knee. Come see us here at Carolina Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Associates (CONA) at any of our locations to get knee pain relief.