Written By: Chloe Wilson BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
Shoulder bursitis is a common cause of shoulder and upper arm pain.
Bursitis develops when one of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac, becomes irritated and inflamed.
There are a number of different bursa around the shoulder that may be affected, but the most common type of shoulder bursitis is subacromial bursitis.
Pain from shoulder bursitis tends to develop gradually over time and may limit movements where you lift your arm above your head or behind your neck or back.
When treated promptly and effectively, symptoms will usually resolve within a few weeks, but left untreated, symptoms gradually get worse and secondary problems can develop. Here, we will look at the common causes, symptoms and treatment options for shoulder bursitis.
A bursa is a smooth sac that contains synovial cells that produce lubricating fluid. There are over 150 bursa located throughout your body which sit between muscles, tendons and/or bones. The shoulder bursa provide cushioning and a smooth surface allowing the tissues to glide freely and fully as you move without any friction.
There are a number of shoulder bursa located around the joint as shown in the diagram including the:
(1) subacromial bursa and (6) subdeltoid bursa (which tend to be connected)
(2) subscapular bursa
(3) subcoracoid bursa
(4) coracoclavicular bursa
(5) supraacromial bursa
Inflammation of any of these shoulder bursa may cause shoulder and arm pain.
The most common type of shoulder bursitis is subacromial bursitis which is often linked with shoulder impingement syndrome. There are other bursa located around the shoulder blade and inflammation of these is known as scapulothoracic bursitis.
When a shoulder bursa gets irritated or injured, it responds by producing more synovial fluid in an attempt to protect itself and the surrounding tissues which leads to inflammation.
Shoulder bursitis is typically caused by:
Whilst inflammation can develop in any of the bursae around the shoulder, the most common are subacromial bursitis at the front of the shoulder and scapulothoracic bursitis at back of the shoulder blade.
The subacromial bursa provides cushioning between the rotator cuff tendons and the acromion, the front part of the shoulder blade that forms a sort of bridge over the tendons, in what is known as the subacromial space.
Anytime you move your arm up the rotator cuff tendons are gliding through this space so anything which narrows the space leads to irritation in the bursa and the tendons themselves.
Bursitis shoulder is rarely found in isolation but tends to co-exist with other shoulder problems such as shoulder impingement, supraspinatus tendonitis, biceps tendonitis and rotator cuff tears.
Shoulder bursitis often produces a muddled picture of symptoms so it can be hard to diagnose, especially in the early stages. You should always see your doctor or physical therapist for a full assessment.
Shoulder bursitis symptoms may vary from person to person but usually include:
In most cases of shoulder bursitis, pain develops gradually over time due to repeated friction over the bursa. It tends to be a low level aching pain that gets worse with activities where your arm is raised over your head.
Pain from bursitis of the shoulder is usually fairly localised over the problem area but over time, the pain may radiate down the arm, but usually not past the elbow. If shoulder bursitis was caused by a one-off injury, the pain will more likely be instant and more severe.
It can be extremely painful when any pressure goes through the shoulder with bursitis, making things like sleeping on your side very uncomfortable - people with shoulder bursitis often report that their sleep is frequently interrupted.
If there is inflammation of the supraspinatus tendon, known as supraspinatus tendonitis, as well as the bursa, you may have a painful arc where as you lift the arm up it starts to get painful, but once you have reached a certain height, the pain diminishes. This is due to how the pressure changes through the bursa as you move the arm.
Shoulder movements may become limited with shoulder bursitis, particularly when reaching over head or behind your back/neck as the condition progresses. This tends to develop secondary to pain - it hurts to move the arm so you use it less.
This is fine in the short term, as you need to protect the bursa from further damage, but if it continues long term, the soft tissues aren't getting moved and stretched as they should so they start to tighten which further limits movement and creates and more pain. Physical Therapy is one of the best ways to avoid stiffness from bursitis of the shoulder developing, or treat it if it has.
In time, if your shoulder bursitis pain is causing you to favour the arm, the shoulder muscles may lose some strength. This can cause further problems as the weakness leads to subtle changes to the way the shoulder and shoulder blade move which can lead to further irritation.
Rotator cuff strengthening exercises can really help combat this weakness.
Septic bursitis, where there is an infection in the bursa, usually bacterial, will result in you feeling unwell with a high temperature, and the shoulder is often red and warm. If you suspect you have an infection, you must see your doctor immediately as the infection will need to be treated with antibiotics.
Sometimes when bursa become inflamed, particularly with elbow or knee bursitis, it gets to a point where there is noticeable swelling, like a small squashy orange, but this is uncommon in shoulder bursitis.
Shoulder bursitis treatment aims to reduce pain and inflammation, prevent and correct any weakness and decreased movement at the shoulder, prevent secondary problems developing such as shoulder impingement, and get you back to your usual activities.
There are a number of different shoulder bursitis treatment options:
People usually make a full recovery from shoulder bursitis but it may take a few weeks or months depending on the severity and any associated conditions.
Strengthening exercises, shoulder stability exercises focusing on the shoulder blade, and postural re-education are some of the best ways to reduce the friction going through the bursa thus preventing the condition from recurring. Visit the rotator cuff exercises section to find out more.
Shoulder bursitis is often accompanied by other problems such as rotator cuff tears and shoulder impingement syndrome in which case they will also need to be addressed.
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Page Last Updated: 05/12/2020
Next Review Due: 05/12/2020