"I have a bursa"

There are two types of Bursa, one is a large city in Turkey and the other is a small fluid filled sac found all throughout our body- also picturesque.

Bursae help reduce friction between bones to allow for free flowing movement in the joints of the body, today, we’ll be discussing the later.

We have a lot of people present to our clinic after being told they have bursitis or bursal thickening in their shoulder/hip/elbow which can be a concerning thing to hear if you don’t know what a bursa is or what their purpose is! Never fear! We're here to help.

You can't 'get' or 'develop' a bursa- you already have them! You might not be aware but we have over 100 bursae throughout our body. Major Bursae exist nearby the tendons of our shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. When a bursa becomes inflamed or irritated, it called bursitis. A bursa can become inflamed in many ways such as repetitive movements, prolonged periods of compression or a sudden increase in activity all of which can lead to pain in the joint and restricted function.

Signs and symptoms of a sensitive bursa include:
-localised tenderness
-swelling
-loss of movement
-increase in pain with certain movements
-pain at night lying on the affected joint. 

Physiotherapy can help reduce your pain and get you back doing the things you enjoy- sooner! Typical treatment includes activity modification and individually-prescribed therapeutic exercises tailored to your condition. We offer plenty of useful advice to work around or avoid symptoms to reduce inflammation. Manual therapy can also be extremely beneficial to help settle your pain. Exercise Physiologists are great at progressing exercise too!

If you’d like to know more about bursae or you’d like to book an appointment, call us today on 8682 6665 or click 'book now' below.

...and if you've read this far, thanks! We recommend adding Bursa to your list of places to visit in Turkey!