Persistent Knee Swelling

Okay -- since it's worse in the morning, inflammation may be present, that is, you could have an inflammatory arthritis. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and Lyme disease.

Morning stiffness lasting at least 30 minutes (and often much longer) is typical in long-lasting (chronic) inflammatory joint diseases. Gout and pseudogout are forms of inflammatory arthritis caused by crystal deposits within the knee but are typically not chronic, so the morning prominence is not as commonly described.

Now we'll move onto another question about the location of the swelling, because swelling on top of the knee cap can indicate bursitis rather than arthritis.

Do you have swelling confined to the kneecap (that is, just in front of the knee)?

Yes, the swelling is confined to the kneecap.

No. I have no swelling confined to the kneecap.