What is Bursitis and Tendonitis?
The ending of the word “itis” is defined as inflammation. Therefore, bursitis is inflammation of a bursa and tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that is located between muscles or tissues to provide a cushion and reduce friction. In the shoulder, a common bursa that is inflamed is the subacromial bursa. This bursa can often become inflamed due to abnormal joint movements, poor posture, and weakness of the surrounding musculature. This causes strain to the tissues and excessive friction on the bursa. People tend to feel pain with movement and especially movement out to the side or reaching behind them.
Tendons connect muscles to bones. In the shoulder, common areas for tendonitis are in the rotator cuff tendons (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis) and bicep tendons. Pain can be felt deep in the shoulder or in the front of the shoulder. Pain is usually felt as a sharp, catching sensation with certain movements.
How physical therapy helps:
Physical therapy is the first line of conservative treatment for bursitis and tendonitis. Since most bursitis and tendonitis is due to underlying abnormal mechanics of movement due to muscle weakness and impaired joint mobility, our trained physical therapists evaluate your movement to pinpoint the source of the symptoms. Modalities may be used to alleviate pain and discomfort, while hands-on therapy improves joint mechanics and movement.
Finally, strengthening exercises and joint coordination exercises help to restore stability to the affected area and to prevent reoccurrence of the symptoms. Call Bay State Physical Therapy today to discover how we can help you relieve your shoulder pain and get back to the activities you enjoy!
