Best Knee Wrap For Baker’s Cyst
Baker’s cyst is one of the common medical conditions regarding the knee. It is also known as a popliteal cyst. It is a swelling filled with synovial fluid behind your knee, or sometimes in your calf. This condition limits one’s movements and causes knee pain. And that’s why you need knee wrap to lessen the swelling and pain. You may need a knee wrap that has compression and also works as a cold pack. To reduce the pain and swelling, compression and ice packs work like a charm. So you should look for these features when buying a knee wrap for a baker’s cyst.
What causes a Baker’s Cyst?
Usually synovial fluid works at the joints of our body to help them swing, move, and avoid friction between the bones. Sometimes due to pressure, this fluid seeps into the behind the knee causing swelling. Also, there are instances where too much synovial fluid is produced which results in build-up behind the knee. This happens due to the inflammation caused by Rheumatoid arthritis, or knee arthritis in older people.
Another reason is cartilage injury or tear. Cartilage is a connective tissue between the joints that protects our bones and joints. It helps connect the bones as well as reduces friction so that we can move our arms or legs without harming the bones such as producing more synovial fluid. However, when the cartilage itself gets damaged, our body tries to lessen the joint friction by other means. But cartilage tears can cause pain, and lead to different problems.
Symptoms and treatment
Baker’s cyst is not dangerous and can be treated over time. There are no specific symptoms that directly indicate the swelling is a bulge-knee or baker’s cyst.
- Knee pain which elevates when standing for too long or for working actively.
- Swelling behind the knee or in the calf
- Not being able to flex or extend the knee
- Feeling discomfort while walking
These symptoms are pretty enough to diagnose your problem as a baker’s cyst. However, there is another medical condition that has the same symptoms. DVT (deep venous thrombosis), simply known as the blood clot is a serious condition when blood forms a clot due to blocked blood flow in your veins or slow blood flow. It can form in any part of our body, mostly in our legs. Blood clots seem similar to Baker’s cyst from the outside. So, leave it up to your doctor to diagnose it. As for blood clots, it is better to get immediate treatment to not develop heart complications caused by poor blood circulation.
Baker’s cyst often requires no treatment other than rest, taking painkillers, and treating the main problem that caused it. The doctor may tell you to not do excessive work to not elevate the pain and to use compression to reduce the swelling and pain. Though it does not require much treatment, it’s better to be cautious because the fluid-ballon may rupture causing the synovial fluid to seep into the calf causing sharp pain and discomfort.
This cyst can come back if the main reason is left untreated. If your cyst was due to a cartilage tear, then treating the cartilage tear will help the cyst go away. Some also drain the cyst and in extreme cases, one may need surgery, though that rarely happens nor does the doctor suggest it.
Best Knee Wrap For Baker’s Cyst
While your therapist or doctor gives you no treatment apart from painkillers or advises you to follow some rules to help Baker’s cyst go away, you can still feel pain or discomfort. Doing daily work or even walking can get hard while dealing with the pain and the swelling. There is a protocol named R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compress, & elevate) for injuries in limbs, especially knee injuries. Though it usually is done in the first 48 hours, the method works the same for the popliteal cyst. Resting and avoiding strain on your knee is the very first thing to do. Using an ice pack and compression will help lessen the pain and swelling. Make sure not to use ice on bare skin and also not for a long time. Elevating is not really necessary for a baker’s cyst but you may do that if it helps with pain or discomfort.
And for compression, knee wrap is the best way to ensure comfort and stability. Some knee wraps even have options to let you use an ice pack. People usually use knee wraps for knee injury or working out and those knee wraps are also the ones that may help your baker’s cyst. There are some of the best knee wraps for baker’s cysts from which you may choose one that meets your conditions.
Pro-Tec Athletics Back of Knee Wrap
Pro-Tec Athletics Back of Knee wrap helps with baker’s cyst the most. The pain in the back of the knee will go away thanks to this wrap. The compressions decrease the inflammation caused by the bulge knee. The discomfort you feel while moving around or the pain leading you to limp will go away with this Pro-Tec knee wrap. It is non-slippery and stays in place. It makes walking and other exercises that were hindered by your baker’s cyst easier to accomplish.
Decompression Knee Brace
The decompression Knee Brace is one of the best knee support wraps. It has specific use to elevate pain and support the knee joint. If one has a knee injury that does not let them walk well, this one works like a charm. It has metal steel plates on both sides that support your knee joint, and muscles, and relieve you from pain. The adjustable compression straps help one to wear it as they feel comfortable. It has a built-in silicone gasket that compresses your patella in one place, reducing the pressure on it thus reducing pain. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about sweat or stuffiness as it has breathable fabric. Decompression Knee Brace is a well-made knee wrap that is easy to wear, comfortable, and supports your knee in every way possible. It supports the back of your knee and you can adjust it according to your cyst comfortably.
REVIX XL Knee Ice Pack Wrap
Revix knee ice pack wrap offers both ice pack and compression that are said to work the best to treat baker’s cyst. It covers the whole knee and effectively elevates pain. Though it needs to be frozen for cold compression for a few hours, it is effective and works the best. The velcro straps are secure and adjustable. While you rest, ice compression is better to reduce the swelling of your cyst. Revix knee ice pack wrap will give you 30 minutes of cold compression after freezing it for 4-6 hours. Thanks to its straps, you can move around with the ice pack on, which is not possible with a normal ice pack.
Modvel Knee Brace
Modvel Knee Brace is a comfortable elastic knee wrap that helps with pain and inflammation caused by baker’s cyst. It is flexible and slips through your legs to sit perfectly on the knees. It has a silicon grip that ensures it does not slip even if someone jumps and works actively. This wrap compresses the knee from all sides reducing the swelling and pain effectively. Our knee joints get pressure every time we walk or run. But when one gets diagnosed with a knee injury, surgery, arthritis, or baker’s cyst, the joint does not work the same. This knee brace helps stabilize and support the knee joint from getting too much pressure.
