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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

To ease pain and discomfort of knee bursitis, try these home remedies.

  • Rest your knee. Discontinue the activity that causes knee bursitis and avoid movements that worsen your pain.
  • Apply ice. Apply an ice pack to your knee for 20 minutes at a time several times a day until the pain goes away and your knee no longer feels warm to the touch.
  • Apply compression. Use of a compressive wrap or knee sleeve can help to reduce swelling.
  • Elevate your knee. Elevate your knee by propping up your legs on pillows. This can help reduce swelling in your knee.
Prevention Treatments and drugs

  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
    Related Links
  • Bursitis

    • Related Guides
    Children
    Parent
References
  1. Questions and answers about bursitis and tendinitis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/default.asp. Accessed March 31, 2011.
  2. Hanada E, et al. Knee bursitis. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1678/0.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
  3. Anderson BC. Knee bursitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
  4. Moeller JL, et al. Orthopedics. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191205553-4/0/1481/0.html#. Accessed April 4, 2011.
  5. Prepatellar (kneecap) bursitis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00338. Accessed April 4, 2011.
  6. Schmidt MJ, et al. Tendinopathy and bursitis. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..X0001-1--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed April 4, 2011.
  7. Huddleston JI, et al. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1807/0.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
DS00954 May 3, 2011

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