Home / Conditions / Knee bursitis

Knee bursitis

Bursitis is a condition where the small sacs of fluid around your joints become swollen and inflamed.

About Seeking medical advice Diagnostic tests Treatment Recovery Contact us

Reviewed by Mr Anshul Sobti, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

What is knee bursitis?

The bones of our joints are separated by small jelly-like sacs of fluid called bursae. These act as cushions and help reduce friction between bones and soft tissues.

When a bursa is damaged or inflamed, the tissue becomes swollen and produces too much fluid. This condition is called bursitis. It can cause pain, tenderness, and discomfort with movement or if you place pressure on the affected joint.

Your knee has several bursae, and any of them can become swollen.

Causes of knee bursitis

Bursae in the knee can become swollen after an injury, such as a knock to the front or side of the knee.

Wear and tear can also cause swelling, especially if you often kneel on hard surfaces. Arthritis, gout, and infection can also cause the bursa to swell.

Sports, overuse, and repeated pressure on the knee can also cause bursitis.

Types of knee bursitis

There are different types of knee bursitis:

Prepatellar bursitis (housemaid’s knee)

Prepatellar bursitis, also called housemaid’s knee, affects the small fluid-filled sac between your kneecap and your skin.

It often happens when you spend a lot of time kneeling. For example, people who work as carpet fitters, plumbers, or gardeners may be more likely to get it. It can also happen after a direct blow to the front of the knee, which can happen during contact sports.

Prepatellar bursitis usually causes swelling that you can see over the front of your kneecap.

Pes anserine bursitis

Pes anserine bursitis affects a bursa on the inner side of your knee, just below the knee joint.

It can happen after repeated movement, overuse, knee arthritis (osteoarthritis), or uneven muscle strength around the knee. It usually causes pain and tenderness on the inner side of your knee.

Infrapatellar bursitis

Infrapatellar bursitis affects one of the bursae near the tendon at the front of your knee (patellar tendon). It can happen if you frequently kneel, jump, or do activities that put repeated pressure on the front of your knee.

Baker’s cyst 

A Baker’s cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is different from the types of bursitis listed above. It is a fluid-filled swelling at the back of your knee. It usually happens when extra fluid from inside your knee joint collects behind your knee.

Baker’s cysts often happen because of another knee problem, such as knee arthritis (osteoarthritis), inflammatory arthritis, or a tear in the knee cartilage (meniscal tear).

Symptoms of knee bursitis

Common symptoms of knee bursitis include:

pain during the day
tenderness, warmth, or heat around the knee
a feeling of fullness in the knee joint
swelling around the knee
discomfort when you move your knee or put pressure on the affected area
redness, especially if the bursa is inflamed or infected
a fever or feeling unwell if the bursa is infected

Knee locking, catching, or loud clicking are not common symptoms of bursitis. They may be signs of another knee problem, such as a tear in the knee cartilage (meniscal tear) or knee arthritis (osteoarthritis). These symptoms should be checked separately.

If you have prepatellar bursitis, you may notice swelling at the front of your kneecap that comes on quickly.

Symptoms of a Baker’s cyst can include pain at the back of your knee or in your calf. If fluid builds up, the cyst can burst. This can cause pain, swelling, and redness in your calf.

A burst Baker’s cyst can sometimes look like a blood clot, also called deep vein thrombosis. If you have sudden calf pain, swelling, or redness, you should seek urgent medical help.

When should I seek medical advice?

Most cases of knee bursitis improve with simple treatment. You should get medical advice if the swelling is severe, does not go away, keeps coming back, or stops you from doing your usual activities.

You should seek urgent medical help if your knee becomes more red, hot, painful, or swollen, especially if you have a fever or feel generally unwell. This could be a sign of an infected bursa. An infected bursa may need antibiotics, and a doctor may need to drain the fluid.

You should also get medical help quickly if you have sudden pain and swelling in your calf, especially if you already have a Baker’s cyst. A doctor may need to check for other causes, such as a blood clot.

Diagnostic tests for knee bursitis

Your doctor can usually diagnose superficial knee bursitis by examining your knee and asking about your symptoms, daily activities, and any past injury.

You may not need any tests. Your doctor may recommend an MRI scan, X-ray, or ultrasound to check for other knee problems or to look more closely at the affected bursa.

An ultrasound can show fluid inside a bursa. It can also help your doctor guide a needle if they need to drain fluid or give an injection. An X-ray can help check for arthritis or a bone problem. An MRI scan can help check for problems inside the knee joint, such as a tear in the knee cartilage (meniscal tear) or another cartilage problem.

If the bursa is very swollen, or your doctor thinks it may be infected, they may drain some fluid from it with a needle. This is called aspiration. The fluid can then be sent to a laboratory for testing.

Treatment for knee bursitis

You can help manage knee bursitis at home by:

Monitor your activity – avoid anything that makes your symptoms worse. Low-impact exercise, such as cycling or swimming, may be a good option.
Use ice – place an ice pack on your knee for 20 minutes, three or four times a day. Wrap the ice pack in a towel first so it does not touch your skin directly.
Raise your leg – keep your leg raised when you can to help reduce swelling.
Use a compression bandage – this may help reduce swelling if it feels comfortable. Do not use it if it causes numbness or more pain.

Take anti-inflammatory medicine – medicines can help reduce pain and swelling.

If your bursitis is caused by repeated kneeling or pressure on your knee, try to avoid these activities while the bursa heals. Knee pads may help stop bursitis coming back when you return to activities that involve kneeling.

If the swelling is severe, your doctor may suggest draining the fluid from the bursa with a needle. This is called aspiration.

Aspiration can help reduce pressure and discomfort. If your doctor thinks the bursa may be infected, they can send the fluid to a laboratory to be tested.

Your doctor may suggest a steroid injection if simpler treatments have not helped. A steroid injection should not be used if the bursa is infected. Your doctor may use an ultrasound to help guide the injection into the right place.

Your doctor may also recommend physiotherapy. This can help if muscle weakness, tight muscles, changes in how you move, or another knee problem are adding to your symptoms.

Surgery is rarely needed for knee bursitis. Your doctor may discuss it if other treatments have not worked.

If bursitis keeps coming back after non-surgical treatment, surgery to remove the affected bursa may sometimes be considered. This is called a bursectomy.

Recovery from knee bursitis

Most cases of knee bursitis that are not caused by infection improve over several weeks with the right treatment. Recovery time depends on the cause, how severe it is, and whether you can manage the activity or knee problem that caused it.

Going back to your normal activities gradually, and avoiding repeated pressure on the sore area, can help reduce the chance of bursitis coming back.

If swelling around your knee does not go away, or keeps coming back, a specialist can check your knee and help find out whether another knee problem is causing your symptoms.

Paying for your treatment

We welcome both self-paying and insured patients.

Our locations

Book an appointment today

Call us now for appointment bookings, general queries, and personalised quotes.

Self-pay: +44 (0)20 7244 4886 Insured: +44 (0)20 7460 5700

Alternatively, you can contact us using our online form.