You may have been recently diagnosed with bursitis or know someone that has. You’re not alone! Bursitis is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries out there.
Where does bursitis occur?
There are over 150 bursae in the body, however you’re most likely to develop bursitis on the joints that have the most repetitive load. Below are the most common types of bursitis:
- Hips (iliopectineal or trochanteric bursitis).
- Shoulders (subacromial bursitis).
- Knees (prepatellar bursitis or housemaid’s knee).
- Elbows (olecranon bursitis, sometimes called miner’s or barfly’s elbow).
- Feet (name varies depending on location, commonly in the big toe, heel or ball of the foot).
- Buttocks (ischial bursitis or weaver’s bottom).
What is bursitis?
Bursitis is a painful condition that involved the swelling or inflammation of a small, fluid-filled sac that sits over bony areas and joints of the body called a bursa. The symptoms can be sudden or build up overtime.
The role of a bursa:
The bursa plays an important role in our body. The bursa is responsible for cushioning the bony prominences, muscles, tendons and ligaments. This helps these structures glide with ease and protects tendons and ligaments from injury.
Why do I have bursitis?
Bursitis can occur if you’ve had a knock to the areas such as a fall. More commonly, it will occur when you haven’t therefor you may be wondering why you’ve recently been diagnosed with bursitis. Irritation to the bursa is common if you’ve overused an area without the proper muscle strength or if you’re joint mechanics aren’t optimal and the bursa is getting excessive compression.
Ask yourself if you do any repetitive motions such as throwing, cleaning, painting, shovelling, sports (tennis, golf or baseball), carpentry or gardening. These all involved repetitive motions that can irritate a bursa, especially if these motions are done without optimal technique or muscular support.
Who Can Help?
General Practitioner – discuss your symptoms and get a referral for your local physiotherapist, ultrasound may be appropriate and medication.
Physiotherapist – proper assessment, treatment (appropriate exercises and advice for offloading the bursa).
How Can Massage Help Bursitis?
Massage can help reduce muscle tension above and below the joint to assist the pressure on the bursa. This can help ease the inflammation and reduce pain. Massage will NOT be performed over the bursa because this will cause more pain and slow down the recovery. It is important to have a massage therapist that understands bursitis and which areas are appropriate to perform massage.
The Body Carpenter Massage Therapy is located in Coolum, Sunshine Coast. I offer multiple treatment options such as remedial massage, cupping, dry needling, sports massage, relaxation massage and lymphatic drainage.
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to helping you with your recovery.
Cheers,
Cache Carpenter