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What happens if a baker's cyst goes untreated? Usually nothing happens if a baker’s cyst goes untreated. A baker’s cyst is just a sign that something else is wrong with your knee. If you injured your knee and it gets swollen, then you know that you did something to your knee. A baker’s cyst is the same sort of thing, it’s just that the swelling is in the back of your knee. Left untreated it may enlarge and be uncomfortable, but it’s not going to cause any direct damage in your knee. I...

Can you pop a ganglion cyst?Can you pop a ganglion cyst? The short answer is yes, you can pop it, but don’t be surprised if it comes right back. I frequently see patients with ganglion cysts in my practice as an orthopedic surgeon in Colorado Springs, and I can tell you that there is a very high probability that if you pop it, it will come back. What is a ganglion cyst? If you have a ganglion cyst, then you are not alone. Ganglion cysts make up between 60-70% of all hand masses; they are very...

How do you relieve SI joint pain?  Physical therapy is one of the best ways to relieve SI joint pain. If a course of physical therapy doesn’t help, many get relief with corticosteroid injections. Rarely some patients elect to get surgery to fuse their SI joint. Apart from trauma cases, surgery to fuse the SI joint is always elective. SI joint pain is something that I see frequently in my practice as an orthopedic surgeon in Colorado Springs. It can often be mistaken for back pain, and can...

Do shin splints go away?Shin splints usually go away on their own, but only if proper care is taken. Shin splints are an overuse injury which is really common in runners. Most of the treatment involves activity modification, combined with anti-inflammatories and possibly physical therapy. I got them pretty bad during my first season running in high school. They did go away, but only after I stopped running for a while. As an orthopedic surgeon in Colorado Springs, I don’t often see shin...