HAVE YOU BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BURSITIS AND NOT SURE WHAT EXACTLY IT IS?
It can be very painful and restrict your normal everyday activities. But physio can definitely help.
WHAT IS A BURSA?
A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bone and soft tissue (muscles, tendons and skin). A bursa (plural bursae) reduces friction between the bone and soft tissue and assists joint movement.
Bursitis is the inflammation of that bursa.
COMMON BURSAE
SHOULDER - Sub-acromial bursa
HIP - Trochanteric bursa
KNEE - patella bursa
ANKLE - retrocalcaneal bursa
ELBOW - olecranon bursa
SYMPTOMS OF BURSITIS
localised pain
swelling
pain with certain activities
reduced range of motion
CAUSES OF BURSITIS
Bursitis is often caused by pressure or overuse, particularly from repetitive activity. In the shoulder, weakness of the rotator cuff muscles cause the shoulder to not function correctly, creating pressure on the bursa and causing it to become inflamed. Similarly in the hip, weakness of the gluteal muscles contribute to the bursitis.
Other contributors to bursitis are infection, gout and diabetes. Being overweight can increase your risk of bursitis in the lower limb.
TREATMENT OF BURSITIS
Physiotherapy is a very effective treatment for bursitis. Our physiotherapists will perform a thorough assessment of your injury and work out a treatment plan that not only treats the inflammation but also the underlying cause of the bursitis. We will help you with activity modification and an exercise program to help strengthen the weak muscles contributing to the problem.
Sometimes an injection may help settle down the inflammation in the bursa, allowing you to perform your rehabilitation exercises more effectively and improve faster, allowing you to get back to doing the things you love sooner.
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