What Is Bursitis?

The Bursa; a liquid filled cavity located between bone, muscle, tendons, and skin usually acts as a buffer to reduce friction between tissue. However, when the bursa becomes irritated, its function can be impacted leading to very tender and painful tissue.

What Causes Bursitis?

Severe injury and overuse are the most common causes of Bursitis.

Some activities commonly associated with Bursitis are:

  • Gardening
  • Raking
  • Carpentry
  • Shoveling
  • Painting
  • Tennis
  • Golf

Who Usually Gets Bursitis?

The chance for Bursitis greatly increases with age, as more wear and tear of tendons reduces their ability to handle impact. Elasticity of tendons and ligaments also greatly decreases as people age which also contributes to their decline in resilience and proneness to irritation and damage.

Most common areas affected:

  • Shoulders
  • Elbows
  • Hips
  • Knees
  • Achilles tendons

Bursitis symptoms: 

Bursitis pain may develop rapidly or gradually with time. Rapid onset is usually associated with calcified deposits within the bursa cavity. Reduced mobility and range of motion are also highly characteristic of Bursitis as the joints are impacted and have reduced mobile function.

How Can I Prevent Bursitis?

Regular exercise: building up your body’s ability to handle force gradually can greatly reduce the chances or developing Bursitis in the future.

Stretching: Stretching helps prevent maintain muscle flexibility and function reducing chances of injury.

Using padding: Using padding while kneeling reduces pressure on knees and protects joints.

Lifting properly: Lifting properly reduces chances for injury and reduces chronic strain on the back and hips.

Using a dolly: Minimize the potential for injury and strain on shoulders by using a dolly when moving heavy objects around.

Take breaks: Taking rest breaks can reduce the impact of chronic stress from repetitive tasks on tissue.

Maintain a healthy BMI: Holding extra weight puts more stress on joints.

Chiropractic Care: Working with a chiropractor can help you develop a plan of action to help catch and reduce symptoms early on.

I hope this helped answer some questions you may have had and if you or anyone you know are experiencing pain and would like to take the first steps toward getting relief, just call Atlas Chiropractic in Boulder at (303) 442-5911 and we’ll gladly get you scheduled for an appointment or feel free to fill out a web form here on our website. We look forward to helping you heal and get moving!

Dr. Cort Musolf, DC