Bursitis

Bursitis

What exactly is bursitis?

Your body has bones to give the body strength. This is your skeleton. To ensure that you can move your body, there are joints in various places in the skeleton. Consider, for example, your elbow, your shoulder or your knee. A joint consists of two bones that come together. The ends of these bones are covered with a layer of cartilage. To keep the bones together properly, there are strong ligaments around a joint. Tendons connect muscles to bones near joints. There is often a cushion with ''oil'' between a tendon and the bone to reduce friction. This is the bursa. You have a bursitis (bursitis) when a bursa is irritated and inflamed. Men and women have an equal chance of getting bursitis. If you are over 30 years old, you are more likely to develop bursitis. Preferred places are, for example, the shoulder, front of the knee, back of the elbow and the hip where you lie. High Energy ShockWave plays an important role in solving CHRONIC bursitis...! We like to help you !

Causes of bursitis

You can get bursitis for various reasons.


    Due to an accident: Due to a fall or a blow to your shoulder, for example, the bursa can become irritated and inflamed. Inflammation: If a joint is inflamed, this inflammation can spread to the bursa. You often see this with gout. If the bursa itself is damaged, such as due to an accident, a bacteria in the bursa can cause an additional infection. Overload: Repeating certain movements too often can cause bursitis. You also see this together with RSI. Another form is the ''student's elbow''; by leaning on the elbow a lot, the bursa can become inflamed.

 

In some professions and in some sports you see certain forms of bursitis occurring more often: in runners: bursitis in the Achilles tendon. This is often accompanied by inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis). Hip bursitis is also a common runner's injury. Among pavers and carpet layers you see the so-called 'Paters knee'. This is an inflammation of the bursa at the front of the knee. Carpenters and masons are more likely to develop elbow bursitis.

Symptoms of bursitis

If your bursa becomes inflamed, it produces extra fluid. This causes the bursa to swell. This makes the joint painful and stiff. You can also move the joint less well. Your skin may become red and feel warm where the inflamed bursa is. Swelling may also occur at that location. Bursitis of the shoulder The shoulder joint consists of the head of the upper arm and the shoulder blade. Just above the shoulder joint is a bony protrusion, the acromion. Underneath the acromion lies the subacromial bursa, but also the Supra Spinatus Tendon [SSP]. A bursa is designed to reduce friction between moving tissue layers. A bursa is often located in a place where the tissue rubs against a bony protrusion. When someone presents to the doctor, it is often said out of convenience: you have a bursitis. However, ultrasound examination shows that it is relatively uncommon and usually involves tendonitis of the Supra Spinatus Tendon [SSP], which is usually caused by calcifications in the tendon. These arise after repeated micro-traumas due to overload. Bursitis in the shoulder is often accompanied by calcification due to the same degree of overload. These calcifications are easy to treat with our High Energy Focused ESWT ShockWave because it has been proven that only that type reaches deep enough to reach and clean up those calcifications. (Shoulder calcifications) However, if it is purely a bursitis, the order of resolution is: try medication for 2 weeks [IbuProfen, Diclofenac, Naproxen, etc.], and if that does not help, a targeted injection by the orthopedist under ultrasound guidance.

Symptoms of bursitis of the shoulder

People with subacromial bursitis experience pain at the top, front, back and outside of the shoulder. This pain can also radiate to the elbow. In less severe cases, individuals experience only stiffness and mild pain in the shoulder that increases during rest after activity. Activities that cause pain are: lifting, pushing, excessive lying (side-lying, awake from the pain), overhead activities, rotating the shoulder, etc. If the injury has been present for a longer period of time, the pattern of complaints may change. The pain becomes sharper or additional complaints occur during sports or activities. Pain also increases when pressure is applied to the bursa. In some cases, one experiences weakness of the shoulder and a 'painful arc' when lifting the arm. Bursitis of the hip People who suffer from bursitis of the hip experience pain on the outside of the hip. The complaints change the longer the injury has been present. In general, people recover well from this condition. Early ShockWave treatment of this condition can accelerate and promote the recovery process! What is bursitis of the hip? Bursitis of the hip (trochanteric bursitis) is a condition in which damage and inflammation of the bursa occurs at the hip. The bursa is a small sac filled with fluid. This pocket is located on the outside of the hip and can cause pain in the hip region. The gluteal muscles ensure movement of the hip and stabilize the pelvis. These muscles are mainly active during walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, squatting and lunging steps. When contracting the gluteal muscles, the trochanteric bursa comes under tension. Direct pressure on the bursa can also cause friction of the trochanteric bursa. When this pressure and/or tension is excessive, due to too many repetitions or too heavy force, irritation and inflammation of the bursa can occur. This condition is called trochanteric bursitis. Anatomy of the hip The upper leg bone (femur) ends in a bony lump, called the greater trochanter. This head can be clearly felt on the side of the hip. Several gluteal muscles attach to this head. These gluteal muscles run from the pelvis to the thigh bone and cover the head (greater trochanter). Between the gluteal muscles and that lump there is a bursa: the trochanteric bursa. A bursa is designed to reduce friction between moving tissue layers. A bursa is often located where the tissue rubs against a bony protrusion.

Causes of hip bursitis?

Bursitis of the hip usually occurs due to repeated or prolonged activities that strain the trochanteric bursa. This pain is usually felt during prolonged lying (in a side-lying position, mainly on a hard surface, such as on a thin mattress in a caravan or trailer tent!), walking (mainly uphill or on an irregular surface), jumping, squatting and lunges. These activities affect trochanteric bursitis via the gluteal muscles or via direct pressure/impact on the bursa. In some cases, this injury can occur acutely, for example after a kick or fall on the hip.


What factors can contribute to the development of this injury?

There are several factors that predispose individuals to developing this condition. These factors are determined and corrected by the physiotherapist. Some of these factors include:


 

    Joint stiffness (mainly around the hip) Shortened muscles (mainly the glutes) Too much or incorrect load Muscle weakness (mainly the hamstrings and glutes) Inadequate warm-up Poor biomechanics (leg length difference, foot position, for example) Inadequate rehabilitation after a previous gluteal and /or hip injuryPoor pelvic or core stability

 


What are the symptoms?

People with trochanteric bursitis experience pain on the outside of the hip. This pain can also radiate to the outside of the thigh up to the knee. In less severe cases, individuals experience only stiffness and mild pain in the hip that increases during rest after activity. Activities that cause pain include: excessive lying (side-lying), running, jumping, excessive walking, sitting with the legs crossed and getting in and out of the car. The pain associated with bursa inflammation warms up with activity in the initial stages of the injury.


If the injury has been present for a longer period of time, the pattern of complaints may change. The pain becomes sharper or additional complaints occur during sports or activities. Pain also increases when pressure is placed on the hip bursa. In some cases, one experiences weakness of the leg. This weakness mainly occurs when walking up stairs, performing a squat, or when trying to accelerate while running.


How is the diagnosis made?

The anamnesis (history) in combination with a clinical examination by the physiotherapist, supplemented with ultrasound diagnostics, is usually sufficient to arrive at the diagnosis of 'bursitis'. Further research, such as an MRI scan, CT scan, RX scan, is sometimes necessary to confirm the diagnosis.


Shockwave for bursa inflammation of the hip

A relatively new and very effective treatment method is our High Energy ESWT Shockwave therapy, the ideal solution for conditions such as bursitis of the hip. The therapy is relatively painless, affordable and effective. Many have already gone before you and got rid of their bursitis.


Make an appointment?

Do you want to know more? Please feel free to contact us for an Intake and Ultrasound. We are happy to tell you everything you want and need to know about our Shockwave therapy.

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