Knee Bursitis

To find out whether you have knee bursitis, your healthcare professional asks you about your medical history. Then you’re given a physical exam. Your healthcare professional likely will:

• Compare the condition of both knees, especially if only one hurts.
• Gently press on areas of your knee to feel for warmth, swelling and the source of pain.
• Check the skin over the tender area to look for a change in color or other symptoms of infection.
• Carefully move your legs and knees to determine your affected knee’s range of motion. This also is done to find out whether it hurts to bend or flex the knee.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests may be needed to find out if a condition other than knee bursitis is the cause of your symptoms. Your healthcare professional might request one or more of the following tests:

• X-ray. These can be useful in finding a problem with a bone or arthritis.
• MRI. MRI scans use radio waves and a strong magnetic field to make detailed images of structures inside the body. These scans can produce images of soft tissues such as bursae.
• Ultrasound. This uses sound waves to make images. Ultrasound can help your healthcare professional find swelling in the affected bursa.

Aspiration

Rarely, a sample of bursa fluid may be taken for testing. A needle is placed into the affected area to drain some of the fluid. This procedure is called aspiration. It might be done if your healthcare professional thinks that you have an infection or gout in the bursa. Aspiration also can be used as treatment.