I’m suffering from bursitis? What’s that?!
“Bursa” is not a common word that many of us hear outside of the healthcare community. However, many of us have suffered from “bursitis” in our lifetime.
Let’s begin with some anatomy! Bursa are small fluid filled sacs. They are strategically placed by the body in areas where tendons make contact to bones. As such, they are designed to allow for a frictionless gliding movement of tendons on bones during muscle contraction. This will prevent damage from occurring to a tendon and makes the motion of a joint painless and smooth. Bursa are placed all over the body and are generally named for the location they are located. For example, the “subdeltoid bursa” is placed near the shoulder joint in the region of the deltoid muscle.
“Bursitis” occurs when the bursa is inflamed. When the bursa is inflamed, motion of the tendon (due to muscle contraction) can cause pain with movement of a joint. What’s worse is that this activity can further irritate the bursa, exacerbating the problem! The bursa can become inflamed for a variety of different reasons that include, but are not limited to, direct trauma or overuse of the muscle and/or joint.
The good news is that manual therapists such as Chiropractors and Physiotherapists are trained to treat bursitis! If you have been diagnosed with a bursitis or suspect that you may be suffering from it, don’t hesitate to contact our office today to book an examination!
Author: Dr. Paolo De Ciantis, B.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc., D.C.