Advice sought on a bakers cyst

my wife suffered an injury at AmZofingen last year that led to a Bakers Cyst behind her left knee. she saw a highly regarded sports knee specialist here in the Delaware Valley area who drained the cyst and diagnosed arthritis as the source of the pain/problem. This didn’t seem quite right then and it doesn’t seem right now. The injury has never really gone away, but since then, she has successfully raced several times in both running (5k-marathon), duathlon and triathlon. Arthritis as we understand it doesn’t seem to be a factor in the injury, although it seems entirely reasonable that she has some that leads to occasional mild knee soreness/stiffness. This injury is different (back of the knee, not in the joint itself, not arthritic at all in sensation).

in the last couple of weeks the cyst has returned. we don’t have insurance at this time, and we also don’t really know who to see about it - the guy she saw last time seems to be regarded as the pinnacle of sports related knee medicine in this area. the immediate question is the extent to which draining the cyst is mandatory, in which case we’ll just get that done again. i guess there is the nagging question of just what the injury is, but if the imaging stuff she had done last time combined with this guy’s expertise wasn’t providing convincing answers, i am not sure slowtwitch can either …

I’ve generally found that they have to be referred out for drainage, usually by an orthopedic guy. As a chiro, there was usually not that much I could do for them until after they were drained.

Here’s a brief description. Do a net google and you’ll find lot of info.

http://www.medicinenet.com/baker_cyst/article.htm

Well there are Baker’s cysts and ganglion cysts. I have a ganglion cyst I believe it is. Baker’s cysts are formed because of some other injury causing it I think.

Anyway, yes resolve the behind the knee issues. Draining it certainly isn’t mandatory, I had mine drained 3 times and it always comes back. The doctor said the same thing would probably happen if I had surgery and had it removed. So I resolve my hamstring issues and just deal with it. I know what sets if off and what doesn’t and am just careful about it. My Dad has had one for about 20 years. I would probably not hold out too much hope that draining or removing is going to solve the issue. Find the source of the problem and just deal with the cyst.