About this topic
A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac. It acts as a cushion between your bone and tendon. A tendon is a thick band that attaches muscle to bone. Bursae help the tendons glide and let your joints move easier. There is a bursa about 2 to 3 inches below your knee on the inside of your leg. It is called the pes anserine bursa. It cushions the part between your shin bone (tibia) and the tendons of the muscles at the back of the thigh. These are your hamstrings. This bursa can get swollen and hurt. If this happens, the health problem is called pes anserine bursitis. ‚
What are the causes?
- Moving a joint over and over again in the same way
- Tightness in the muscles at the back of the thigh
- Poor training like not stretching enough before running, not slowly adding to how far you are running, too many hills
- Getting hit near the bursa
- Osteoarthritis
- Being overweight
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
- Infection
- A tear in cartilage in the inner knee
- Poor position of the lower leg (turned out)
What are the main signs?
- Pain and soreness on the inside part of your large lower leg bone, about 2 to 3 inches below the knee joint
- Pain going down to the middle of the lower leg or up to the inner thigh
- Trouble bending the knee
- Trouble climbing stairs or working out
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Achiness
- Warmth
- Redness
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will feel the parts of your knee and lower leg to find where the problem is. Your doctor may order: ‚
- Blood tests
- X-ray
- MRI scan
- Fluid removal to check for infection
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
- Rest
- Ice
- Padding the knee to keep pressure off the bursa
- Keeping the knee raised
- Braces or supports to keep your knee in a good position
- Exercises
- Physical therapy (PT)
- Removing fluid from the bursa
- Surgery is not often needed
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Fight an infection
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- If your bursitis is due to overuse, try not to do movements that caused the problem.
- Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
- If you sleep on your side, use a pillow in between your legs. This can help keep pressure of the bursae in the knees.
- If you are a runner, stretch before a run. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run.
- Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00335 ‚
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ‚
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/default.asp ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚