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Knee Tendon Bursitis
Comprehensive treatment for you
What is knee tendon (Pes anserine) bursitis?
It is an inflammation of the bursa located between the shinbone (tibia) and three tendons of the hamstring muscle at the inside of the knee. It occurs when the bursa becomes irritated and produces too much fluid, which causes it to swell and put pressure on the adjacent parts of the knee.
Bursae are small, jelly-like sacs that are located throughout the body, including around the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel. They contain a small amount of fluid, and are positioned between bones and soft tissues, acting as cushions to help reduce friction.
Pain from knee tendon bursitis is located on the inside of the knee, just below the joint.
Signs and Symptoms of knee Bursitis
The symptoms of knee bursitis include:
Pain slowly developing on the inside of your knee and/or in the center of the shinbone, approximately 2 to 3 inches below the knee joint.
Causes of Knee Tendon Bursitis
Knee bursitis usually develops as the result of overuse or constant friction and stress on the bursa. It is common in people with osteoarthritis of the knee and athletes, particularly runners.
Several factors can contribute to the development of knee tendon bursitis, including:
- Incorrect training techniques, such as neglecting to stretch, doing excessive hill running, and sudden increases in mileage
- An out-turning of the knee or lower leg
- Tight hamstring muscles
- Obesity
Diagnosis of knee tendon bursitis
Doctors often can make a diagnosis of knee bursitis with a medical history and physical exam. Your doctor will:
- Compare the condition of both knees, particularly if only one is painful
- Gently press on areas of your knee to detect warmth, swelling and the source of pain
- Inspect the skin over the tender area for redness or other signs of infection
- Carefully move your legs and knees to determine your knee’s range of motion and whether it hurts to bend or flex it
To rule out injuries that can cause signs and symptoms similar to those of bursitis, your doctor might request an X-ray , MRI to help visualize soft tissues such as bursae .
An ultrasound can also be used to help in better visualization of swelling in the affected bursa
Quality treatment of knee tendon bursitis
Bursitis often improves over time, so treatment is usually aimed at symptom relief.
However, depending on the cause of your knee bursitis and which bursa is infected, your doctor might recommend one or more treatment approaches.
Conservative treatments include:
Improve Flexibility
More invasive treatments for knee tendon bursitis
Corticosteroid injection. If the bursitis is persistent and not responding to basic treatments, your doctor might inject a corticosteroid drug into an affected bursa to reduce inflammation. The inflammation usually subsides rapidly, but you might have pain and swelling from the injection for a couple of days.
Aspiration. Your doctor might aspirate a bursa to reduce excess fluid and treat inflammation. He or she will insert a needle into the affected bursa and draw fluid into the syringe. Aspiration might cause short-term pain and swelling, and you might need to wear a knee immobilizer for a short period after the injection to reduce the chance of recurrent swelling.
Surgery. If you have severe chronic or recurrent bursitis and don’t respond to other treatments, your doctor might recommend surgery to remove the bursa.
Surgery for knee tendon bursitis
Bursa drainage and removal
If a bursa becomes inflamed and does not respond to medical treatment of bursitis, a surgeon may recommend a procedure that drains excess fluid from the bursa or removes the inflamed bursa altogether.
Tendon repair
As a tendon becomes inflamed, it gets weaker and more susceptible to injury, especially if physical activity continues after tendinitis has developed. At times, a tendon may tear partly or completely away from bone. A complete tendon tear is called a tendon rupture.
NSOC knee specialists in Kenya may recommend surgery to repair a torn or ruptured tendon in order to relieve pain and other symptoms.
Recovery after surgery
Most patients recover fully from bursitis or tendinitis under the care of our orthopedic specialists.
To build muscle strength and flexibility and to help prevent another injury from occurring, doctors at NSOC recommend physical therapy after inflammation and pain has receded or after recovery from surgery.
Our experts also offer programs and services to enhance your overall sense of well-being, which may help you heal faster and embark your normal duties.
