starting strength gym
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Intercondylar synovial cyst between ACL and PCL

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Posts
    7

    Default Intercondylar synovial cyst between ACL and PCL

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Short version:

    Got MRI results showing that I apparently have 2.7 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.2 cm intercondylar synovial cyst between ACL and PCL in my right knee.

    Ortho will get back to me on Tuesday, but since doctors don't always have best advice, I thought I would ask in advance, if anyone has had any experience with this kind of thing.

    How is this (or should be) treated or managed? And more interestingly, how should this affect how I squat? I long can I expect this to hold me back?


    Long version:

    So. Starting back in October I have had periodical pain behind my right knee/on the side of knee, mainly when the knee is in full flexion, e.g. when kneeling or deep squat. Normal squats have not really been directly affected (no pain ect. during), but the pain was typically worse after a heavy squat session and day after. The pain oddly also seemed to move around, to medial side and even frontside of the knee on some days. Although certain positions made me sometimes see stars, if I forgot that there is something funky going on with the knee, this was periodical, and it didn't bother me too much most of the time. So, I continued to train like before, although I also had to later reset squats due to grip/elbow issues that crept in.

    However, couple weeks ago - IIRC, the day after a moderate squat day - I woke up to find that my right leg didn't really hold weight right after getting up, resulting me to limp that morning. Full extension (e.g. instinctive leg stretching when waking up) also started to hurt a bit. Overall, pain has not really been anything that I could not handle without meds. More impactful was that whenever I sit or lay down for too long, I would limp for some time after getting up (one particul couple hour car drive was a real bitch afterwards).

    Figuring that this could be something minor, for couple of weeks I took ibuprofen and parecetamol (acetaminophen) and dialed the squat weight & volume waaay down (slow, light & very controlled). This helped some, but the knee seemed wobbly and limping after sitting persisted. While the knee feels a bit odd during other exercises, presses and deadlifts have not really beem affected noticeably.

    Feeling adventurous, on this Tuesday I squatted up to one set of five at 80 kgs (compared to 125 kg for 3 sets of 5 in the moderate session mentioned above). Knee felt very mildly aggravated right after the squats, but nothing alarming. However, next morning I almost fell over and had to grab a door frame to stay up, when I got up slightly faster than usual to attend to my kid.

    Booked time for an orthopedic for the same day pretty much right after getting back to bed. On examination he found nothing alarming (paraphrasing: nothing major can't be broken), but we agreed to do an MRI, since it would clarify whether there is something going on inside the knee.

    Got the MRI results back today, and apparently I have a intercondylar synovial cyst between ACL and PCL. Otherwise, nothing else abnormal is going on inside the knee according to MRI, so I guess that would be the reason for my symptoms.

    Aged 34, so not really happy about a possible prospect of long-term knee issues potentially limiting squatting, walking and/or sitting in place.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    47

    Default

    LiftinFinn,

    Thanks for the post.

    This is an issue that needs individualized approach, because recommendations, programming, response to training, recovery, etc are going to depend on your clinical presentation at that time. Especially becuase your symptoms seem to vary.

    In the meantime, if its does not cause you symptoms, I would continue training the upper body lifts to maintain a training stimulus. How are DLs for you?


    Good luck

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Thanks for replying, Chris. Yeah, this specific cyst also seems to be a pretty rare condition. A Pubmed search of titles and abstracts using Intercondyl* AND cyst yields a grand total of 27 hits, many of which are not even really related. I'd imagine that first-hand experience on how to train or program training with this is probably pretty close to non-existent. I also guess symptoms & situation depends heavily on the size of the cyst and the way it"s aligned, i.e. which structures it presses against during movement.

    The knee has become much more bothersome since my first post. Last I squatted was 2 sets of 5 @ 60 kg (very light for me, still no pain during squats) and couple of even lighter sets on Thursday. I thought bench / ohp would not piss it of, but I"m not completely sure now after doing them yesterday. Might also be walking and standing these couple past days. I'll have to play around to be more certain. The hip and also the other knee are starting to act up a bit too, I guess perhaps from having to pick up the slack and try compensate for the abnormal gait.

    Let's see what ortho says next week. Training wise I'll start with throwing the squats completely of the program for now. Will also be keeping the weight of the leg as much as possible for the next couple of days.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    47

    Default

    Wait to speak to the ortho.

    Good luck

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Talked to the ortho. He basically stated what was written in the MRI report and sent hospital a referral for arthroscopic surgery to have the cyst removed.

    Based on what we discussed, as well as hospitals statistics, the cyst might be removed in three months, if the stars a aligned in a favorable way. If not, with this covid-shit going on and all, then it'll be who knows how long.

    So, for the time being I'll have to figure how to train around the problem. Ortho didn't mention anything that I should actively avoid, but the condition itself limits leg work.

    Knee/leg is now better after not squatting at all, and seriously reducing walking & standing for a few days. Did light OHP and deadlift last night, and the knee didn't seem to be particularly aggrevated today. With bench I probably need to change the knee angle to more open than I'm used to.

    Regular squats are out of the question, because I do like walking enough to do it every day relatively painlessly and without limping. Might be able to do high(ish) box squats or leg press with limited ROM, avoiding maximal knee extension and too large flexion - would need to be tested/titrated

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    47

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Continuing to train is important. Keep the the press and DL going, adjust the bench as needed and start with a higher, light box squat. Keep the jumps small and progressions slow. Leave the squat out if it causes you pain but keep the other lifts going. If you have access to a leg press machine you can also do single leg presses with the unaffected leg in the meantime.

    Good luck

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •