Bursitis

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. It can cause pain anywhere where muscles or tendons run close to each other. There are countless bursae all over the body, but the arms and legs seem most prone to bursitis.

What Are Bursae?

Bursae are little cushions that sit on bone where there could be friction with soft tissue. Their presence protects the muscle or tendon from the bone they’re anchored to. The illustration above shows how abundant they are in the knee, and there are more of them than are shown.

When under continuous or repeated pressure, they can become irritated and inflamed. This might lead to dramatic swelling, as per “students elbow”, which can swell up like an egg when the elbow has rested too long on a hard desk. Other cases might be more painful than visible. Symptoms can last for quite a while, even once the initial cause of irritation is resolved. You might find that applying heat makes pain and swelling worse as it encourages inflammation.

Hip Bursitis and Knee Problems

The trochanteric bursa sits on the outer edge of the thigh bone at the hip joint. It protects the IT band from friction from the femur (thigh bone). This is more likely when the IT band is “tight”. Because the band is not a muscle, its tension is actually dictated by a muscle at the top of the thigh: the TFL. The IT band’s role is to support and stabilise the knee, which it achieves by becoming tense as the TFL pulls on it. So we need to look at the knee whenever this bursa becomes symptomatic. You might be inclined to foam roll the outside of the thigh, but it doesn’t get to the root of the problem, and you won’t get the response you would from rolling a muscle, as it’s a different kind of tissue. Rolling the TFL muscle itself is more likely to give you symptomatic relief, but it won’t be worth much if there’s a persistent problem with the knee.

Managing Bursitis

Sometimes in these cases of hip bursitis, the knee is asymptomatic but there is still an issue beneath the surface. By taking a detailed case history and examining thoroughly, your osteopath can get to the bottom of the problem. It might be that this is the first sign of osteoarthritis that can now be addressed and managed before it becomes a problem.

Wherever your symptoms are, your osteopath will work to find the root of the problem and treat the body as a whole. It can take a long time for symptoms to fully resolve, but we aim to get enough relief in the early stages to start to unpick the problem and minimise the body’s compensation for pain. Expect exercises or lifestyle advice to support your improvement between sessions and prevent future episodes. As mentioned above, heat is generally not indicated for symptoms of bursitis, but for more personalised advice, you can book your appointment below.

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