Bursitis – Management & Symptoms

Everyone has hundreds of bursa around the body. Their role is to reduce friction and allow 2 surfaces to slide over each other freely.

• When bursa become irritated they become swollen and the ability to allow the 2 surfaces to glide freely is reduced.
• Poor biomechanics and repetitive strain is quite often the cause of a bursitis
• A blunt trauma can also cause an acute episode of swelling within a bursa, leading to a bursitis.
• Other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout can make an individual more prone to a bursitis.

Hints for self-management

• Rest the affected area and avoid aggravating movements and activities.
• Ice and anti-inflammatory medications can assist reduce inflammation.

Management options

•   A corticosteroid can be injected into the affected bursa to assist reduce inflammation. This can be performed under ultrasound guidance by a radiologist after being prescribed by your GP, Orthopaedic Surgeon or Sports Physician.
• Physiotherapy can help strengthen the muscles around the affected area and correct any biomechanical issues causing the irritation.

What you can expect/look out for

• Pain with movement.
• An achey or stiff sensation in the affected area.
• Swelling and/or redness over the affected area.
• Sometimes painful to palpate over the bursa.

Interesting facts

• There are approximately 160 bursae in the human body
• Larger bursae are located near major joints, such as the shoulders elbows hips and knees. Example: Subacromial Bursitis

More information

• Common areas for bursitis are:

–       Shoulder (sub-acromial) bursitis

–       Elbow (olecrannon) bursitis

–       Hip (trochanteric) bursitis

• It is not uncommon to experience recurrent flare-ups