Shoulder Bursitis

By Don Williams

What is it?

Shoulder Bursitis or more specially subacromial bursitis in an inflammatory condition that commonly causes shoulder pain. Subacromial bursitis refers to inflammation of a bursa (fluid fluid sac) that is positioned on the point of the shoulder. Patients will commonly have pain flexing (bring the arm Infront and above the head) or abducting (bring the arm away from the body and above head). They will also describe localised pain on the shoulder.

What causes it?

Repetitive over head activities such as swimming, bowling during cricket, weightlifting, or even working with the hands above the shoulders are typical causes of inflammation. Trauma’s such as a fall directly on the shoulder may also cause subacromial bursitis.

Interestingly a subacromial bursitis tends to be a symptom of another shoulder pathology nearby. This is evident as subacromial bursitis are present if there are rotator cuff tears, rotator cuff tendinopathies, labral tears, frozen shoulder, calcific tendinopathies, and more. Therefore it is important to find the cause of a subacromial bursitis rather then treating the bursitis itself.

How can we help?

As discussed above, it is important to assess the whole shoulder to find injuries or deficiencies that are the driving cause of the bursitis. Most cases of subacromial bursitis can be managed conservatively with rest from aggravating activities, manual therapy, and strengthening rehab exercises. If you are suffering from a shoulder bursitis or shoulder pain that you are unsure of, book an appointment for a comprehensive examination to diagnose and treatment of your shoulder.