If you’re experiencing a dull aching pain in your joints, have swelling or are finding that the skin surrounding the joints is more tender or warmer than it usually would be, or if you’re experiencing pain when you move or press on the joints, it’s possible that you might have bursitis.
This is when the fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints become inflamed, typically in the shoulders, knees, elbows and hips.
Common causes of the condition include:
– Repetitive movements and pressure (such as lifting heavy objects or kneeling down)
– Bacterial infections
– Direct impact or injury (such as a fall or a knock)
– Poor posture
– Atypical joint alignment
– Gout
– Diabetes
– Osteoarthritis
– Rheumatoid arthritis
How can bursitis be treated?
There are at-home treatments you can try to manage your symptoms, including resting and trying not to move your joints too much to avoid putting too much pressure on them. Apply an ice pack for ten minutes at a time and ease any pain you’re in using paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Generally, bursitis can be successfully treated at home and your symptoms should improve within a couple of weeks. However, you may want to go and see a GP if your symptoms don’t get better.
You can be given antibiotics if the underlying cause is an infection, while steroid injections can help reduce the swelling. Fluid can also be taken from the joints via needle aspiration, which can ease your symptoms as well.
Can physio help with bursitis?
In short, yes! Physio is an excellent form of treatment for bursitis, as it helps to reduce pain, improves motion and mobility, and restores function to the affected joints.
Prevention strategies can also be developed to prevent recurrence, such as pacing to decrease pressure and the proper posture techniques.
If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
