Baker's Cyst - Bikram Yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I have practiced Bikram Yoga for almost 2 years with awesome results. I believe in the practice - it not only transformed my body, but my life!

With that said, somehow I developed a baker’s cyst behind my left knee about 6 months ago. At first it felt like the onset of a cramp, but after 4 weeks of it increasingly getting more and more painful, I went to the dr. He was able to diagnose the baker’s cyst through an ultrasound. He found no evidence of an injury to my knee or signs of arthritis. At this point I should add that it was painful to walk flat - I had to keep my left foot in a heel to take some strain off the cyst.

I elected not to have it drained. I stayed off my left knee as much as possible for 4 months. I quit going to yoga. I iced my knee, downed Motrin, and elevated it. 4 months later the fluid seemed to have subsided. Although if I walked all day in a tennis shoe I could feel the soreness behind my left knee, yet the big bulge was gone. - I say that to say, the irritation was still there.

So I returned to bikram yoga this week - and the bulge is back too, accompanied with the pain. I am so frustrated. What am I doing wrong? Is it the yoga? I didn’t have any problems for the first year and a half - and seen my body go through an amazing transformation and now I can’t go through a session without the back of knee swelling to the point it looks like a golf ball is hidden in there!

Will I have to give up Bikram Yoga? I can’t imagine. Is it the yoga that is causing the cyst? What should I do? I thought of wrapping my knee tonight before I practice and seeing what happens - I am so frustrated…any advice out there? I know it might sound crazy to say that I can’t go on without my yoga practice, but I really feel like it saved my life - maybe I am going a posture wrong or somehow straining the back of my knee - any advice or similiar stories out there? I am just desperate to get back to my practice - minus the knee problems!
Thanks!

#2

Hi There,

I am no expert, but I very much appreciate the work of Mukunda Stiles and if you follow this link there is on page 18 a interesting piece on Baker’s cyst. Perhaps you might find something in it for you. The whole paper is very interesting and I would recommend reading it as a whole.

http://www.yogatherapycenter.org/articles/THERAPY%20FOR%20POST%20MENISCUS%20SURGERY%20-%20Aramati%20Akke%20Hulburt.pdf

Your yoga will need much adjustment and patience from your side to work witht the adjustments. You don’t need to stop doing yoga, just adjust your practice to take the weight and strain off your knees. The best person to start with is your current teacher. Please consult her/him and discuss this and your options for an adjusted practice.

#3

Welcome debra :-)! In this thread you can read about Yoga Therapy, and also how different it is from regular classes. I hope it will help you to make your choice easier.

http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f18/yoga-therapist-3115.html

#4

Hello Debra,

I responded to your post in the other place in which you posted it, having seen it there first.

gordon

#5

Hi, your situation sounds identical to mine. Is it the yoga that’s causing the cyst? I’ve already had 2 MRIs and arthroscopic knee surgery that found nothing wrong, but the buldge is still here! I see it’s been a year for you. Have you had any results?

[QUOTE=debra2323;16280]I have practiced Bikram Yoga for almost 2 years with awesome results. I believe in the practice - it not only transformed my body, but my life!

With that said, somehow I developed a baker’s cyst behind my left knee about 6 months ago. At first it felt like the onset of a cramp, but after 4 weeks of it increasingly getting more and more painful, I went to the dr. He was able to diagnose the baker’s cyst through an ultrasound. He found no evidence of an injury to my knee or signs of arthritis. At this point I should add that it was painful to walk flat - I had to keep my left foot in a heel to take some strain off the cyst.

I elected not to have it drained. I stayed off my left knee as much as possible for 4 months. I quit going to yoga. I iced my knee, downed Motrin, and elevated it. 4 months later the fluid seemed to have subsided. Although if I walked all day in a tennis shoe I could feel the soreness behind my left knee, yet the big bulge was gone. - I say that to say, the irritation was still there.

So I returned to bikram yoga this week - and the bulge is back too, accompanied with the pain. I am so frustrated. What am I doing wrong? Is it the yoga? I didn’t have any problems for the first year and a half - and seen my body go through an amazing transformation and now I can’t go through a session without the back of knee swelling to the point it looks like a golf ball is hidden in there!

Will I have to give up Bikram Yoga? I can’t imagine. Is it the yoga that is causing the cyst? What should I do? I thought of wrapping my knee tonight before I practice and seeing what happens - I am so frustrated…any advice out there? I know it might sound crazy to say that I can’t go on without my yoga practice, but I really feel like it saved my life - maybe I am going a posture wrong or somehow straining the back of my knee - any advice or similiar stories out there? I am just desperate to get back to my practice - minus the knee problems!
Thanks![/QUOTE]