Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a thin sac that lies between bone and soft tissue near certain joints. A healthy bursa allows smooth movement of soft tissue over bone. Inflammation can make it painful to move the nearby joint.

• A blow to an area containing a bursa
• Repetitive stress on the bursa
• Infection in bursa
• Long periods of pressure on joint—leaning on elbows, sitting or kneeling on hard surfaces
• Medical conditions that cause inflammation in joints such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout

• Repetitive motion activities when done to an extreme, such as swimming, running, or tennis
• A job that requires:
  • Repetitive motions such as hammering or painting
  • Long hours in one position such as a carpenter kneeling
• Contact sports
• Sporting gear that is too tight
• A puncture or deep cut that involves bursa

• Pain in the area
• Swelling
• Reddened skin
• Warmth around the area of the bursa
• Decreased motion of the nearby joint
• Decreased function of the nearby limb

• Being shown how to do your activities at home and at work to protect you from making your bursitis worse
• Exercises to strengthen your knee
• Heat, ice, and pressure treatments to reduce the swelling and pain

• Do not overdo sports and other activities.
• When doing a new activity, gradually increase the intensity and duration of activity.
• Make sure you perform activities correctly.
• Wear properly fitting, protective pads if you play contact sports.
• Use proper safety equipment at work.
• Work with an ergonomic specialist to improve work-related activities.

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org

• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

http://www.sportsmed.org

• Canadian Orthopaedic Association

http://www.coa-aco.org

• Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation

http://www.canorth.org

• Bursitis. Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center website. Available at:  http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/spine_shoulder_pelvic_disorders/common_disorders_spine_sholder_pelvis/bursitis/Pages/index.aspx Accessed December 15, 2013.
• Elbow (olecranon) bursitis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at:  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00028 Updated January 2011. Accessed December 15, 2013.
• Hip bursitis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at:  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00409 Updated August 2007. Accessed December 15, 2013.
• Prepatellar bursitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us. Updated September 5, 2012. Accessed December 15, 2013.
• Questions and answers about bursitis and tendonitis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at:  http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/ Updated June 2013. Accessed December 15, 2013.
• Tendonitis/bursitis. American College of Rheumatology. Available at:  http://www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/Diseases_And_Conditions/Tendinitis_and_Bursitis/ Updated February 2013. Accessed December 15, 2013.