What is shoulder bursitis, types, symptoms and treatments?

What is shoulder bursitis?

One of the most common pathologies at the level of the shoulder joint is the feared bursitis.

Before delving a little deeper into the injury, we can define the bursa as a structure, which is a kind of small sacs filled with synovial fluid placed strategically between different structures (one fixed and the other mobile or both mobile) in order to avoid excessive friction between them.

The suffix -itis is added when the bursa becomes inflamed by some cause external to it, which generates an increase of fluid formation within it and the increase in volume of the bursa. This growth of the structure can compromise the proper functioning of the sliding of adjacent structures and excessive pressure on the bursa causing pain by receptors in the walls of the bursa.

 

Types of bursae within the shoulder joint complex.

– Subdeltoid: below the deltoid muscle.

– Subacromial: below the acromion (bony roof of the shoulder).

– Subscapularis: underlying the tendon of the subscapularis muscle.

– Subcoracoid: below the coracoid process (anterior part of the shoulder near the pectoral muscles).

Bursitis is common in middle age and is more common in women than in men. At younger ages they are more acute pathologies.

 

 

Most common symptoms of bursitis.

• Pain when elevating the upper limb (especially in lateral separation).
• Decreased mobility due to pain felt.
• Loss of muscle strength due to inactivity.
• Pain at night that prevents or cuts off sleep.

 

Risk factors of bursal lesions

• Repetitive exercises with the hand above the shoulder (throwing sports, cleaning glass, lifting loads).
• Direct blows to the shoulder.
• Misalignment of the shoulders (such as poor posture with anterior retraction of the pectoral musculature).
• General inflammatory diseases.
• Previous lesions in the shoulder (calcifications type…).

 

Treatments

Treatment in the field of physiotherapy for this type of ailment ranges from cryotherapy (cold), manual therapy to relax and stretch the associated contractures and shortening, neuromodulation (analgesic currents), postural correction and motor control of the structures of the shoulder complex (readaptation work and Redcord), to EPI (galvanic currents to reduce inflammation).

The percentage of success in the diagnosis and treatment of bursitis is high, thanks to the high level of professional training and the physical and technological resources available at MIVI centers .