Water on the knee is a general term used to describe excess fluid that accumulates in or around your knee joint. Your doctor may refer to water on the knee as a knee “effusion.” Water on the knee may be the result of trauma, overuse injuries, or an underlying disease or condition.

The type of fluid that builds up in your knee depends on the underlying disease, condition or type of traumatic injury that caused excess fluid.

The pain and swelling associated with water on the knee don’t have to limit your mobility. Self-care measures and treatment can help keep you on the move.

Symptoms Signs and symptoms of water on the knee depend on the cause of excess fluid buildup in the knee joint. These may include:

Pain. With osteoarthritis, pain occurs when bearing weight. The pain typically subsides with rest.

Swelling. One knee may appear larger than the other. Puffiness around the bony parts of your knee appears prominent when compared with your other knee.

Stiffness. When your knee joint contains excess fluid, your range of motion may be limited. In other words, you can’t bend or straighten your knee as far as you normally could.

Bruising. If you’ve injured your knee, you may note bruising on the front, sides or behind your knee. Bearing weight on your knee joint may be impossible and the pain unbearable.

Causes Fluid buildup from trauma

Your knee is the most complex joint in your body. It functions like a hinge, allowing your knee to bend and straighten. Damage to any part of your knee can cause the painful buildup of excess joint (synovial) fluid. The synovial fluid may contain irritating crystals, bacteria or blood.

Fluid buildup from underlying conditions

The most common cause of knee problems is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage and may affect any joint in your body.

Be proactive in your joint protection regime, remember prevention is better than cure, its never too late to start caring for your joints.