Lump On The Knee, No Pain, Should Be Concerned?

Posted on Sun, 4 Sep 2011

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 4 Sep 2011 Answered on

Wed, 30 May 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I noticed a very hard pea sized lump on the bone near my knee. I think it is my tibia??? It doesn't hurt at all, but it is quite noticeable. I am a runner. Is this something I should be concerned about? I am 36 years old and 5'2" tall and about 110 pounds.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (2 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

A pea sized bony hard lump on your knee can be-
1. Tibial tuberosity- it is a part of the tibia bone and since it is subcutaneous it can be more prominent specially in runners.
2. A sesamoid bone formed in the tendon of quadriceps.
3. A sebaceous cyst- a swelling in the skin not attached to bone.
4. A foreign body.

You can get an X-ray of the knee joint done to find out the cause of such a hard swelling. You can consult an Orthopaedic surgeon accordingly.

I hope my answer and recommendations are adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari