Do you have trouble reaching your shoulder above your head or get a painful hip when you lie too long on one side? May you have bursitis.
A bursa is a small fluid filled sac that sits between tendons and bones (or tendons and skin), preventing abrasive rubbing against bones as muscles contract and relax. Bursae can become inflamed in a condition is known as bursitis.
While there are many bursae over the body, the most important (and most prone to bursitis) are in the hip (trochanteric) and shoulder (sub-acromial and sub-deltoid). Other areas include the elbow, knee and Achilles tendon.
Typically, bursitis is caused by overuse or postural imbalances leading to irritation. Sometimes it is caused by trauma, inflammatory arthritis (such and Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout) or infection. It may present as joint pain, tenderness, swelling and redness.
