Baker’s cysts

A Baker’s cyst develops when the knee joint is damaged. It often arises in patients who suffer from osteoarthritis. Many affected individuals experience no complaints from the cysts, but sometimes they must be operated on nevertheless. Because the cysts can grow and cause pain, is makes sense to do something about the cause and gently strengthen the knee joint. The kybun shoe/kybun mat can very easily be integrated into your everyday routine. This trains the knee repeatedly over a longer period during the day, thus allowing it to gain more stability. The gentle movement in the kybun shoe/kybun mat usually reduces knee pain and swelling.

Definition

‘A lump in the hollow of the knee’ is the way patients often describe a Baker’s cyst. It is usually as big as a plum. But a Baker’s cyst can be the size of a fist or even larger. It is actually an eversion of the poplit and not a cyst, but an inflated bursa. In the course of a pathological process, a damaged knee joint begins to overproduce joint fluid. This is a natural protective reaction; the fluid escapes into a sac in the hollow of the knee, creating the eversion or Baker’s cyst.

Causes

The eversion/swelling/cyst usually arises in connection with damage within the knee joint such as a lesion on the medial meniscus, an arthrotic cartilage change or rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic inflammatory processes lead to increased production of joint fluid (the body’s attempt to compensate for the knee damage), creating excess pressure on the knee joint. The joint capsule yields at the point of least resistance and forms a cyst.

Long-term consequences

Many affected individuals experience no complaints as a result of the cyst. However, depending on the size of the cyst, complaints can arise. The swelling can cause pain and exert pressure on nerves and blood vessels in the hollow of the knee. This can cause numbness, paralysis and circulatory problems in the lower leg and foot. The cyst may also burst, which causes severe calf pain.

Conventional therapy

If complaints do occur, conservative therapy can help:
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Physiotherapy:
    Treatment of the cause. For meniscus damage, exercises such as stabilising/mobilising movement exercises (knee: stabilisation training, strength training, mobility training)
If conservative therapy does not work, an experienced physician will generally not remove the cyst, but treat or operate on the damaged knee joint (meniscus surgery, for example). In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disorder of the joints, the inner lining of the cyst itself produces the fluid. This can make surgical removal of the Baker’s cyst necessary.

The kybun principle of operation – being proactive

The kybun shoe/kybun mat has the following positive effects on knees with Baker’s cysts:

  • Relief of the joint/absorption of impact from hard surfaces→ Reduction of knee joint stimulus→Supports reduction of inflammation/irritation in the knee joint→ Pain reduction
  • Proprioception training/stabilisation training of the knee or leg musculature→ More stability in the knee joint→ Less deterioration, pain reduction
  • Circulation improvement through the gentle movement when walking in the kybun shoe/on the kybun mat→ Support for healing
  • Stimulation of the lymph system through the gentle movement while walking in the kybun shoe/on the kybu mat→Promotion of return flow, which reduces swelling in the knee joint.

Initial reactions

Click here for the general initial reactions experienced by kybun mat and kybun shoe beginners: Initial reactions

kybun exercises

For information about the special kybun shoe exercises or the basic kybun mat exercises, please click here: kybun exercises

Application tips

  • Upright body posture
  • Do not make your steps too long
  • Everyday/leisure: Walk with the kybun shoe or use the kybun mat as much as possible. Rest if tired > perform the kybun exercises regularly and take a short break if necessary.
  • Job: Sit as little as possible. Alternate sitting and standing in the beginning, and take along replacement shoes to change into
  • If you feel uncertain/too unstable in the kybun shoe even after a trial session, we recommend a kybun shoe model with lower rebound effect. These models have a somewhat wider sole in the midfoot area, which provides added stability. Seek advice from your local kybun shoe expert.
  • If the sole with lower rebound effect is also too unstable for you, we recommend the kybun mat. You can choose the thickness you are comfortable with (the thicker, the less stable, the more intensive the training). You can also hold on to a fixed object. This can be especially helpful in the beginning after the operation, until you regain confidence in the hip.
  • Precise movements are essential with osteoarthritis in the knee. Be sure to move in a precise manner and take breaks in case of fatigue or weakness. Lateral/medial rolling on the soft, elastic material has to be corrected so that the load is applied to the foot, knee and hip with proper axial alignment. Read more under ‘Lateral/medial rolling of the ankle joint’.
  • Contact a kybun dealer you trust if you have further questions, feel unsafe or if there is no alleviation of pain in the kybun shoe even though you are following the tips.

Opinions/customer testimonials

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