This article explains the causes and symptoms of a Baker’s cyst and how it is diagnosed and treated.

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Causes

Baker’s cysts have nothing to do with actual bakers; they’re named for William Morrant Baker, the British surgeon who first discovered them. Anyone can develop a Baker’s cyst, especially after a knee injury or due to a chronic knee condition.

Simply put, a Baker’s cyst can develop after the joint capsule becomes damaged or weakened.

Baker’s cysts can occur with the following conditions:

The more severe an injury, such as cartilage tear, is, the greater the volume or size of the Baker’s cyst tends to be.

Symptoms

A Baker’s cyst can be soft to the touch and slightly tender. You may have no symptoms other than a visible bulge behind the knee or a tight feeling that something is behind the knee. When you extend your knee, this can make a Baker’s cyst tighter or more painful.

If you have pain and swelling behind your knee, seek medical attention. It’s important to verify whether your condition is, in fact, a Baker’s cyst, since other serious conditions can have the same symptoms—notablydeep vein thrombosis, a dangerous type of blood clot.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A physical examination is usually all that is needed to diagnose a Baker’s cyst.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs)or ultrasounds can be used to confirm that the cyst is fluid-filled, as opposed to solid.

Depending on the underlying condition that causes it, a Baker’s cyst can be treated without surgery in most cases. Nonsurgical treatment can include:

A study published in 2020 showed thatradiosynoviorthesis(a nonsurgical technique that uses radioactive agents to restore the joint lining) could significantly reduce the volume of Baker’s cysts.

Surgical removal of a Baker’s cyst is an option if you find the cyst painful or particularly bothersome. Even after it is surgically removed, a Baker’s cyst may recur. In most cases, however, treatment of the injury that caused the Baker’s cyst will alleviate symptoms and reduce the likelihood that it will recur.

Summary

Treatments for a Baker’s cyst depend on the underlying condition that led to the cyst and can involve draining the cyst and icing or elevating the leg. In some cases, surgery may be recommended.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leib AD, Roshan A, Foris LA, et al.Baker’s cyst. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Saylik M, Gokkus K, Sahin MS.Factors affecting Baker cyst volume, with emphasis on cartilage lesion degree and effusion in the young and middle-aged population.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):851. doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04721-8Klett R.Einfluss der Radiosynoviorthese des Kniegelenks auf bestehende Bakerzysten [Radiosynoviorthesis of the knee joint: Influence on Baker’s cysts].Nuklearmedizin. 2020;59(6):415-418. doi:10.1055/a-1213-5641Additional ReadingHerman AM, Marzo JM.Popliteal cysts: A current review.Orthopedics. 2014;37(8):e678-e684. doi:10.3928/01477447-20140728-52Zhou XN, Li B, Wang JS, Bai LH.Surgical treatment of popliteal cyst: A systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2016;11:22. doi:10.1186/s13018-016-0356-3Frush, T., Noyes F. “Baker’s Cyst: Diagnostic and Surgical Considerations” Sport Medicine July 2015  (4):359-65.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leib AD, Roshan A, Foris LA, et al.Baker’s cyst. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Saylik M, Gokkus K, Sahin MS.Factors affecting Baker cyst volume, with emphasis on cartilage lesion degree and effusion in the young and middle-aged population.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):851. doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04721-8Klett R.Einfluss der Radiosynoviorthese des Kniegelenks auf bestehende Bakerzysten [Radiosynoviorthesis of the knee joint: Influence on Baker’s cysts].Nuklearmedizin. 2020;59(6):415-418. doi:10.1055/a-1213-5641Additional ReadingHerman AM, Marzo JM.Popliteal cysts: A current review.Orthopedics. 2014;37(8):e678-e684. doi:10.3928/01477447-20140728-52Zhou XN, Li B, Wang JS, Bai LH.Surgical treatment of popliteal cyst: A systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2016;11:22. doi:10.1186/s13018-016-0356-3Frush, T., Noyes F. “Baker’s Cyst: Diagnostic and Surgical Considerations” Sport Medicine July 2015  (4):359-65.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Leib AD, Roshan A, Foris LA, et al.Baker’s cyst. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Saylik M, Gokkus K, Sahin MS.Factors affecting Baker cyst volume, with emphasis on cartilage lesion degree and effusion in the young and middle-aged population.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):851. doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04721-8Klett R.Einfluss der Radiosynoviorthese des Kniegelenks auf bestehende Bakerzysten [Radiosynoviorthesis of the knee joint: Influence on Baker’s cysts].Nuklearmedizin. 2020;59(6):415-418. doi:10.1055/a-1213-5641

Leib AD, Roshan A, Foris LA, et al.Baker’s cyst. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Saylik M, Gokkus K, Sahin MS.Factors affecting Baker cyst volume, with emphasis on cartilage lesion degree and effusion in the young and middle-aged population.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):851. doi:10.1186/s12891-021-04721-8

Klett R.Einfluss der Radiosynoviorthese des Kniegelenks auf bestehende Bakerzysten [Radiosynoviorthesis of the knee joint: Influence on Baker’s cysts].Nuklearmedizin. 2020;59(6):415-418. doi:10.1055/a-1213-5641

Herman AM, Marzo JM.Popliteal cysts: A current review.Orthopedics. 2014;37(8):e678-e684. doi:10.3928/01477447-20140728-52Zhou XN, Li B, Wang JS, Bai LH.Surgical treatment of popliteal cyst: A systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2016;11:22. doi:10.1186/s13018-016-0356-3Frush, T., Noyes F. “Baker’s Cyst: Diagnostic and Surgical Considerations” Sport Medicine July 2015  (4):359-65.

Herman AM, Marzo JM.Popliteal cysts: A current review.Orthopedics. 2014;37(8):e678-e684. doi:10.3928/01477447-20140728-52

Zhou XN, Li B, Wang JS, Bai LH.Surgical treatment of popliteal cyst: A systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2016;11:22. doi:10.1186/s13018-016-0356-3

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