Overview

Bursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near the joints. These sacs are called bursae (bur-SEE). Bursitis happens when bursae become swollen and irritated.

The most common places for bursitis are in the shoulder, knee, elbow and heel. But bursitis also can affect the hip and the base of the big toe. Bursitis often happens near joints that do many repeated motions.

Treatment most often involves resting the affected joint and protecting it from further damage. With treatment, bursitis pain most often goes away within weeks. But bursitis often flares up again.

Symptoms

Symptoms of bursitis may make the affected joint:

  • Feel achy or stiff.
  • Hurt more when moving or when someone presses on it.
  • Look swollen and red. Redness may be harder to see on Black or brown skin.

When to see a doctor

Talk with your healthcare professional if you have:

  • Joint pain that gets in the way of daily activities.
  • A joint that doesn't move well.
  • A lot of swelling, redness, bruising or a rash in the affected area. Redness may be harder to see on Black or brown skin.
  • Sharp or shooting pain when exercising or overusing the joint.
  • A fever.

Causes

A common cause of bursitis is repeated motions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Motions may include:

  • Throwing a baseball or lifting something over the head again and again.
  • Leaning on the elbows for long periods.
  • Kneeling a lot for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors.

Other causes include injury to the affected area, osteoarthritis, gout, infection and inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Risk factors

Factors that may raise the risk of getting bursitis include:

  • Age. Bursitis becomes more common with aging.
  • Jobs, hobbies or sports. Activities that involve repeating motions or putting pressure on certain bursae raise the risk of getting bursitis. Examples include laying carpet, setting tile, gardening, painting, and playing football and volleyball.
  • Other medical conditions. Certain conditions may raise the risk of getting bursitis. These conditions include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Being overweight can increase the risk of getting hip and knee bursitis.

Prevention

You can't prevent all types of bursitis. But you can lower your risk and ease flare-ups by changing the way you do certain tasks. For instance:

  • Use kneeling pads. Use some type of padding to ease the pressure on your knees if your job or hobby has you kneeling a lot.
  • Taking breaks often. Mix repeated tasks with rest or other activities.
  • Be at a healthy weight. Being overweight places more stress on your joints.
  • Exercise. Strengthening your muscles can help protect your affected joint.
  • Warm up and stretch before tough activities to protect your joints from injury.
By Mayo Clinic Staff