Jul 03, 2023

What is Shoulder Bursitis? Causes, symptoms & treatment for this common condition that affects various joints in the shoulder

Shoulder bursitis is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the shoulder. It can occur when the bursa (a small sac of fluid) between the rotator cuff muscles and bones becomes inflamed, irritated, or infected. The cause of this irritation is often unknown but may include overuse or injury to the area. Bursitis most often affects people over age 40 who have had previous injuries or surgeries involving their shoulders man with shoulder bursitis

Causes of shoulder bursitis

✔️Acute bursitis is the most common form of this condition, and it's caused by an injury to the shoulder. It can also be caused by repeated movements that put pressure on the bursa, such as when you lift heavy objects repetitively or carry something in one hand while walking with your other arm at your side (like a purse).

✔️Chronic bursitis develops over time due to repeated use of muscles or joints in your body, for example, if you have arthritis in your knees or elbows and are constantly moving them around so they don't get stiff.

Bursitis can also result from trauma: if you fall onto a hard surface with extended arms (like landing on your hands during gymnastics). This could cause damage to surrounding tissue that leads directly to inflammation within one or more major fluid-filled sacs called bursae located throughout our bodies including those found near joints like shoulders/elbows/wrists, etc...

man with shoulder bursitis

Symptoms of shoulder bursitis

Pain in the shoulder
Pain when you move your arm
Pain when you lift your arm
Pain when you sleep on your side
Pain when you lift heavy objects like grocery bags, briefcases, and purses

How to treat shoulder bursitis

You can treat shoulder bursitis by:

resting the shoulder. This will help reduce pain and inflammation.
Apply heat or ice to ease discomfort and swelling. The Shoulder TSHELLZ may be helpful to help increase blood flow to the area which in turn can help decrease inflammation and pain.

If you have an injury that involves bruising or bleeding under the skin (hematoma), apply cold packs instead of heat for 48 hours; never use ice directly on injured skin without protecting it first! Also keep in mind that any type of treatment should be discussed first with a doctor first before trying anything else on yourself!!

doctor treating a man with shoulder bursitis

You should see a doctor if you think you have bursitis.

If you think that you have bursitis, see a doctor. If it doesn't get better in a week and the pain is still bad, see your doctor again.

Bursitis can be treated with rest and other treatment plans from your doctor. In some cases surgery may be needed to remove the bursa sac so that it doesn't cause further problems

Types of shoulder bursitis

👉Shoulder bursitis is a condition that involves inflammation and swelling of the bursa, which sits between tendons, muscles, bones, and skin. Shoulder bursitis can occur in any shoulder joint, but it most commonly affects the subacromial (or “sub-ac”) bursa located below the shoulder blade and above the rotator cuff tendons at the top of your arm.

anatomy of the shoulder joint

Subacromial bursitis

👉Subacromial bursitis is the most common type of shoulder bursitis. It occurs when the subacromial space (the area between your acromion and rotator cuff) becomes inflamed or swollen. This condition is caused by repetitive overhead activity, such as raising your arm above your head for long periods of time.

👉The pain from subacromial bursitis can be felt in the front of your shoulder and gets worse when you move your arm away from the body. For example, if it starts to feel better while sleeping on one side but gets worse when sleeping on both sides because you're flexing/extending at different angles during those positions

Supraspinatus bursitis

👉Supraspinatus bursitis is a painful condition that causes inflammation of the subacromial bursa. The supraspinatus tendon, located in the upper arm, passes through this small sac-like structure before attaching to the shoulder joint.

The main causes of supraspinatus bursitis include:

Overuse injuries such as throwing too many fastballs or serving too many tennis serves can irritate this small sac-like structure and cause it to swell up with fluid.
Inflammation from overstretching your rotator cuff muscles (which attach directly underneath your armpit) while lifting weights. This may occur doing any other activity that involves heavy lifting and may also lead directly to swelling within this region as well; if you have poor posture while working out, then this problem will be even worse for you!

Rotator cuff tendinitis

👉If you have shoulder pain and are experiencing difficulty lifting your arm, changing positions, or sleeping on that side of your body, you may have rotator cuff tendinitis. The rotator cuff connects the bones in your shoulder joint and helps keep them stable as they move around during daily activities. When one or more of these tendons becomes inflamed due to overuse or injury, it can cause pain and stiffness in the shoulder area.

👉Rotator cuff tendinitis often causes sharp pain when moving arms above head level (such as reaching up high above head), pressing into affected areas with fingers/hands (as if pressing buttons), and moving arms forwardly away from chest wall - known as abduction.

xray of the shoulder joint

Glenohumeral internal impingement

👉Glenohumeral internal impingement (GII) is the most common cause of shoulder pain in athletes. It occurs when the rotator cuff tendons are pinched between the head of your humerus and your acromion, a bony prominence on your scapula (shoulder blade).

👉The condition is caused by repeated overhead activity, such as throwing a baseball or tennis ball, or swimming.

Glenohumeral external impingement

👉External impingement is caused by a bony growth on the acromion, the outermost part of your shoulder blade. This can happen when you have repetitive overhead activities, such as throwing, swimming, and weightlifting.

👉It's common in athletes who play sports that involve frequent overhead motions, like baseball pitchers or tennis players. The pain is usually felt at the front of your shoulder but may also radiate down into your arm or across to your lower back.

The type of shoulder bursitis.

Subacromial bursitis
Supraspinatus bursitis
Rotator cuff tendinitis
Glenohumeral internal impingement (GHI) or subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS)
Glenohumeral external impingement (GEI)

woman doing shoulder exercises

Exercises for Bursitis

If you suffer from bursitis, you know how painful it can be. But you don't have to live with it. These exercises can help reduce symptoms and improve your range of motion and they're quick and easy to do!

Flexibility exercises

The following exercises can help improve flexibility, which is important for reducing the pain of bursitis.

Child's pose

Kneel on the floor with your hips and knees separated as wide as they can comfortably go without causing discomfort in your lower back.
Rest on your forearms and let your head hang down between them, letting gravity relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute then switch sides (right side first).
Repeat this sequence 3 times per day or whenever needed to reduce pain from bursitis flare-ups.

Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises are important for flexibility. If you have bursitis, stretching can help reduce pain and swelling. Stretching also helps you regain range of motion, strength, endurance, and balance.

Stretch your shoulders: Stand with one arm relaxed by your side and the other bent at 90 degrees with your palm facing forward or backward. Push the elbow up toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch in your chest muscles (pectorals). Hold this position for 15 seconds, then relax before repeating on the opposite side.*
Stretch your neck: Sit on the edge of a chair with your chin tucked into your chest so that your shoulders are rounded forward; keep your head level throughout the exercise

Strengthening exercises

Here are some examples of strengthening exercises!

Bend and straighten your knees.
Stand on one foot, then the other.
Do squats with no weight for 10 repetitions, then increase to 5 pounds (2.3 kg).
Push-ups are another great exercise for strengthening the shoulders and arms; start with three sets of 10 repetitions, increasing the number of repetitions as you get stronger

woman doing shoulder exercises

Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact exercise that can be done in a pool or open water. It's an aerobic exercise, so it gets the heart pumping and helps burn calories. Swimming also has other benefits:

Low impact - It doesn't put as much stress on your joints as running or jogging would. If you have arthritis, swimming might be a better choice than other forms of exercise because it reduces joint stress and inflammation that may result from high-impact activities like running or biking.
Strengthens muscles - Swimming uses many different muscle groups throughout the body, which makes it a great way to tone up those muscles without overworking any individual part too much (which could lead to injury).

Tennis/racquetball/squash/paddle tennis

Tennis, racquetball, and squash are all great options for people with bursitis in the elbow. These sports involve repetitive motion of the upper body and are thus low-impact activities. Tennis is especially good for those who want to continue playing their favorite sport but don't want to aggravate their condition further by playing high-impact sports like basketball or soccer.

Racquetball is another option for those with bursitis as it requires similar movements as tennis.! Paddle tennis can also be played indoors if you're worried about getting hit by a ball while playing outside on a court or field - although this won't help if you have arthritis in other joints, such as knees or hips, which often go hand-in-hand with having inflamed bursa sacs!

man with tennis racket playing tennis with friends

Try some Exercises to help relieve Shoulder Bursitis

Shoulder bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae, small sacs that cushion joints. It can occur when a person has repetitive movements or an injury to the shoulder. The pain associated with shoulder bursitis can be debilitating and cause difficulty getting work done or playing sports. Luckily, there are exercises you can do at home to help relieve your symptoms.

Shoulder flexion and adduction

Shoulder flexion and adduction exercises are important to help improve the function of your shoulder. Flexion is when you bend your arm to bring it closer to your body, adduction is when you bring your arm across your body, and these two motions are essential for everyday living.

✔️Shoulder flexion and adduction exercise are an active stretching technique to improve the range of motion of your shoulder joint. This is one of the most effective exercises for treating shoulder pain, particularly frozen shoulder.

✔️These exercises can be done at home or even in the office before or after work!

✔️ Shoulder flexion and adduction exercise: If you have stiff shoulders, this stretch can help relieve pain and restore mobility. It's also a good way to warm up before a workout or sports activity.

How to perform this exercise:

Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
Place both hands on the wall at chest level, elbows bent 90 degrees with palms facing down. Lean forward until you feel tension in your upper back muscles, then hold for 5 seconds or as long as possible without straining or bouncing.
Then return to standing position slowly without releasing tension in the upper back muscles.
Repeat 10 times.

Scapular depression and elevation

Here are two exercises that can help relieve shoulder bursitis.

Scapular depression: This exercise involves slightly depressing your shoulders while keeping them back. To perform it, stand with feet hip-width apart and arms hanging at your sides with palms facing forward. Slowly bend at the waist until you feel a gentle stretch in your upper back muscles (you should not be able to see past your knees). Hold this position for 20 seconds before slowly returning upright. Repeat five times daily with minimal rest between sets if needed for best results.*
Scapular elevation: Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms hanging at sides, palms facing forward, and shoulders relaxed. Slowly lift both arms out from sides until they are parallel to the floor (if possible), then slowly lower them back down again as far as comfortable without pain or discomfort; repeat ten times every hour throughout the day when symptoms flare up

Scapular retraction

To do this exercise, stand up straight and place your hands on the small of your back. Pull the shoulder blades together and hold them there for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times every day for 3 weeks or until pain subsides, whichever comes first.

Prone arm raises with weight and without weight

Prone arm raises with weight and without weight:

Do this exercise with a light weight.
Hold the weight in your hand and raise your arm up and down, keeping it straight at all times.
Do three sets of eight reps three times per week to help relieve shoulder bursitis symptoms.

Shoulder bursitis can be caused by repetitive movements and aggravated by an injury. There are exercises to help relieve it.

Repetitive movements that can cause shoulder bursitis:

Using the same arm to lift something heavy, like a bag of groceries or a child (especially if you're carrying them on one side)

Injuries that can cause shoulder bursitis:

A fall onto an outstretched arm; this can bruise or tear ligaments inside your upper arm which then press on nerves and cause inflammation around bursa sacs, causing pain

✔️Frequency: You should do these exercises every day, but you can increase or decrease the number of times you perform them depending on how much pain you are experiencing in your hip and knee joints.

✔️What if I get tired or sore? If this happens during any part of your exercise routine, stop immediately and rest until all signs of fatigue have passed before continuing again.

✔️When should I stop? If there are no signs of improvement after two weeks (or sooner), consult with your doctor about other options for treatment such as physical therapy or surgery

✔️We hope that this list has given you some ideas for how to manage your bursitis. We know it can be frustrating when your life is limited by pain in the shoulders, but there are many ways to cope and get back on track. If you're not sure which exercise would be best for you right now, just remember that being active is always better than being inactive!

✔️As we've seen, there are many types of shoulder bursitis. The most common type is subacromial bursitis, which is caused by inflammation of the bursa that sits between your shoulder joint and the upper arm bone (humerus). This condition can be treated with a plan from your doctor or physical therapist, but if you have symptoms for more than two weeks or so then it's best to see a specialist who can recommend other treatment options or even surgery if necessary

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References

We pride ourselves on being thoroughly researched before we post blog posts, articles or webpages. Here is a list of references used to create this content:

👉Ref 1: What is shoulder tendinitis/bursitis? The Cleveland Clinic

👉Ref 2: Bursitis of the Shoulder Cedar’s Sinai

👉Ref 3: Shoulder Impingement Syndrome (Bursitis or Tendonitis) Newport Orthopedic Institute

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