Bursitis is a particularly painful condition where your joints become tender, swollen and inflamed, often tender and warm to the touch, with pain levels increasing when you move the affected area or press on it.
Risk factors for bursitis include arthritis, injury, overuse, repetitive strain and lack of physical exercise.
The condition can affect any joint in the body but it typically manifests in the hips, shoulders, knees and elbows. It occurs when the fluid-filled sacs (known as bursa) that cushion your joints become inflamed and, while it can be very painful indeed, there are ways in which you can treat the pain at home and ways you can go about preventing inflammation in the first place.
To bring the pain and swelling down, it is advisable to rest so that you don’t move the joint too much and to avoid activities that could put pressure on the affected area and make it worse.
Applying an ice pack every few hours for ten minutes or so can also help with the pain and swelling, as can taking paracetamol or ibuprofen.
However, you may also find that you benefit from physical therapy to help you treat your symptoms and a physiotherapist will be able to carry out an assessment and give you different exercises to help you improve your strength and functional mobility.
For hip bursitis specifically, exercises such as hip bridges can help you to strengthen your glutes and back muscles.
If any of the exercises you do cause you more pain, make sure you stop and tell your physio so they can make adjustments as necessary to help you do the movements without causing further stress or strain on your body.
Are you looking for a physiotherapist in Maidenhead at the moment? Get in touch with Clear Physio today to see how we can help.
