In several places on the body like the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel, bursae which are tiny, jelly-like sacs are situated. They act as cushions to reduce friction and are positioned between bones and soft tissues. They contain a little amount of fluid.
Pes anserine bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa which is at the inside of the knee, between the shinbone (tibia) and three tendons of the hamstring muscle. It will occur when the bursa will get inflamed and will start secreting an excessive amount of fluid, which will cause it to enlarge and put pressure on the surrounding areas of the knee.
How common is pes anserinus bursitis?
Pes anserinus bursitis mostly occurs in athletes. It is common in adults with osteoarthritis and those who are obese. According to statistics, obese women over 50 are more likely to experience anterior knee discomfort, or pain at the front of the knee.
What are the causes of pes anserinus bursitis?
Overuse, persistent friction, as well as stress on the bursa are the general causes of bursitis. Pes anserine bursitis commonly occurs in athletes, than runners. The people who are knee osteoarthritis are also at risk.
There can be a number of reasons due to which pes anserine bursitis can occur, which includes:
- Improper training methods, such as skipping stretches, running too many hills, and abrupt mileage increases
- Tight hamstring muscles
- Due to obesity
- Being knock-kneed or duck-footed
- Osteoarthritis in the knee
What does pes anserinus bursitis feel like?
The severity of your condition will be determined by how much pain you are experiencing. The patients with Pes anserinus bursitis generally feel more pain when kneeling, getting out of a chair, or climbing and descending stairs. Generally, the pain gets better with enough rest.
Do I have pes anserinus bursitis or a stress fracture?
The symptoms of pes anserinus bursitis can resemble stress fractures. Though, stress fractures in this particular region are rare. Make an appointment with your healthcare professional if you have knee pain for diagnosis and treatment.
What are the symptoms of pes anserinus bursitis?
Have a look at the symptoms of pes anserine bursitis:
- Pain might slowly start developing escalating 2 to 3 inches below the knee joint, on the inside of your knee and/or in the middle of your shinbone.
- Pain might start getting worse with activity or due to climbing of stairs.
- Swelling or tenderness to the touch in this area.
How is pes anserinus bursitis diagnosed?
Your doctor will check your knee and then discuss your symptoms with you. To rule out a broken bone, an X-ray could be necessary because pes anserinus bursitis can present with the same symptoms as a stress fracture. It can be important to have an MRI or ultrasound to assess the severity of your injuries.
How do you treat pes anserinus bursitis?
There are a lot of ways with which you can ease discomfort and start the healing process. Treatments for pes anserinus bursitis include:
- Medication. NSAIDs, also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, can help with swelling and pain relief.
- Rest. Stop engaging in activities that cause flare-ups of bursitis. You can find out from your healthcare provider when you can return to your normal routines.
- Cold packs. Three to four times a day, apply ice to the affected area to help in reducing swelling.
- Orthotics. Wedge insoles can assist in moving your leg into a more advantageous position if your anterior knee pain is the result of incorrect knee alignment.
- Kinesiology tape. Kinesiology tape can help relieve the symptoms of anterior knee pain. It is very important to discuss with your healthcare provider about proper techniques.
Physical therapy. To assist you regain strength and range of motion, your healthcare professional might advise ultrasound therapies or stretching exercises. At our clinic we use advance modalities such as shockwave to reduce bursitis:
- Bursa injections. To treat your symptoms, your doctor might inject steroid medications into the bursa.
- PRP injections. A sample of your blood is obtained to create platelet-rich plasma (PRP). It is used to encourage tissue regeneration and repair.
- Surgery. Surgery is uncommon but may be necessary in some extreme cases. During this procedure, you will undergo surgical removal of your bursa. Once this treatment is done, patients can generally return to their regular routines in three to four weeks.
Are there possible complications regarding pes anserinus bursitis?
It is rare, but people can develop complications because of improper care. If you will leave pes anserinus bursitis untreated, then their might be an increase of inflammation and discomfort. In addition to that, the muscles and tendons around your knee joint may become weaker over time.
How can I manage pes anserinus bursitis?
To relieve the pain which has been caused by pes anserinus bursitis, it is important to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. You can also try sleeping with a pillow between your thighs in addition to obtaining enough sleep, taking your meds, and administering ice to the affected area. This can also help in improving your symptoms as a result of the bursa being under less pressure.
What is the Recovery Time For Pes Anserine Bursitis?
Depending on the severity, the quality of the treatment, and how much amount of rest you are getting, pes anserine bursitis generally goes away in 6 to 8 weeks. Usually all the knee-related activities should be discontinued until the injury has completely healed and the bursa is no longer inflamed. If it is not done properly, then it can take longer recovery time or might possibly cause more damage. In other words, there are no short cuts to recovery and healing. It is a gradual process to take care of your body, but if you are persistent and patient with your workouts, you will notice longer-lasting beneficial benefits and changes in your body.
How physiotherapy can help with Pes Anserine Bursitis?
The main goal of physiotherapy for pes anserine bursitis is to help in the reduction of swelling, ease pain, and also enhance the range of motion as well as mobility in the affected structures. This includes working with your muscles, soft tissues as well as joints through a lot of methods.
To treat your pes anserine bursitis and tendonitis, our physio therapist can provide a range of treatments.
One of the main management strategies to pes anserine bursitis is exercise. Our physiotherapist will probably have you perform exercises in the clinic and might also recommend an at-home exercise regimen for you to work on during your recovery. The following are the typical exercises for pes anserine bursitis:
Flexibility exercises. The pes anserine insertion originates from three distinct muscles, so your flexibility workouts could involve various stretches. Generally, stretches for your hamstrings, hips, thighs, and groin are frequently advised to assist increase the range of motion in the muscles and tendons that make up the pes anserine.
Strengthening exercises. Our physiotherapist might have identified various muscle groups which may be weak and may be contributing to your problem. Strengthening exercises might be recommended by them for the muscles which surround your knee, such as the short arc quad. To decrease stress on your pes anserine and help you better manage the position of your thigh and knee, hip strengthening exercises might be required.
Balance exercise. There can be some particular exercises that can help to improve your balance if they believe that your lack of proprioception and poor balance may be contributing to your pes anserine bursitis. You might utilize a BAPS board or wobble board in the PT clinic, and specific balance exercises might be prescribed for your home exercise program.
Are you looking for physiotherapy or a Chiropractor? If Yes, then visit Simply Align Rehab Physio in Scarborough/Toronto or Woodbridge/Vaughan or you can always call or text us for your Physiotherapy or Chiropractor needs in Toronto at (416) 438-3230 or For Physiotherapy or Chiropractor need in Vaughan (Woodbridge) at (905) 638-9840.