Anyone dealt with this previously? My wife has it. Tried the usual NSAIDs, icing, rest, etc…. Finally went to ortho, saw a nurse practitioner, and she received a steroid injection into the bursa above the knee. It remains very achy and she’s still unable to do any cycling without it bothering her. If anyone else has received a steroid injection for this knee issue, how long did it take before you had less pain and could participate in sport again?
Can’t answer your question but hugs to your wife - I have Achilles bursitis and I can emphasize
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The supra patellar “bursa” is almost always continuous with the knee joint itself. It’s therefore likely that the cause of the swelling is within the joint, for example a meniscus tear, which is a mechanical problem that won’t respond to steroids. An MRI would help diagnose if competent examination cannot.
The supra patellar “bursa” is almost always continuous with the knee joint itself. It’s therefore likely that the cause of the swelling is within the joint, for example a meniscus tear, which is a mechanical problem that won’t respond to steroids. An MRI would help diagnose if competent examination cannot.
I agree.
She’s had surgery for meniscus tears in the other knee and said this one felt different (of course, they are not all the same in how they present). With it being localized specifically to the area above the patella (distal thigh), I told her I thought it was either a suprapatellar bursitis, quad tendinitis, or a meniscus tear. The ortho NP agreed and said “an easy way to rule out (and treat) knee bursitis is see how it responds to steroids”. If this does not help then the next step will be an MRI and to see the ortho doc.
Can’t answer your question but hugs to your wife - I have Achilles bursitis and I can emphasize
Thanks. I’m sorry you are dealing with this issue. I feel your pain with the achilles bursitis as mine aggravates me too. When mine flares up, I have to massage the area frequently and start back on ibuprofen on a regular schedule for a week or so. This tends to help alleviate mine. Hope you heal up soon.
From a clinical/training standpoint…supra-patellar bursitis and/or quadriceps tendinopathy often can be exacerbated from seat being too low on bike, using too low a cadence on higher power intervals, over-striding in running gait (as it created excessive force across patella) and inadequate quadriceps strength…seen more in female endurance athletes. So I would look at these areas.
The meds/injection should calm it down, but addressing the above would be good steps too. If it’s truly supra patellar pain, a meniscal tear wouldn’t be super high on the list of differential diagnoses. You shouldn’t need diagnostic testing either, a good clinical exam should suffice. Hope this helps.
From a clinical/training standpoint…supra-patellar bursitis and/or quadriceps tendinopathy often can be exacerbated from seat being too low on bike, using too low a cadence on higher power intervals, over-striding in running gait (as it created excessive force across patella) and inadequate quadriceps strength…seen more in female endurance athletes. So I would look at these areas.
The meds/injection should calm it down, but addressing the above would be good steps too. If it’s truly supra patellar pain, a meniscal tear wouldn’t be super high on the list of differential diagnoses. You shouldn’t need diagnostic testing either, a good clinical exam should suffice. Hope this helps.
Thank you for the suggestions and I will certainly pass them on to my wife.
thank for your well-wishes 
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