Shoulder Bursitis

Shoulder bursitis is a common cause of persistent shoulder pain, tenderness, and stiffness. It makes lifting your arm, reaching overhead, or even sleeping on the affected side uncomfortable and can interfere with daily activities. Most cases of shoulder bursitis resolve without surgery but it’s still important to seek care of a dedicated shoulder specialist, like those at Hoag Orthopedic Institute, who can diagnose and treat the most complex of shoulder conditions.

What Is Bursitis of the Shoulder?

Shoulder bursitis, or subacromial bursitis, is painful inflammation of a fluid-filled sac (bursa) that cushions the space between the rotator cuff tendons and the top of the shoulder. When this bursa becomes irritated or swollen, shoulder movement becomes painful and restricted, especially when lifting the arm or reaching overhead.

What Causes Shoulder Bursitis?

Shoulder bursitis develops when repeated friction, pressure, or irritation causes the bursa to become inflamed. As the bursa swells, it reduces the space for the rotator cuff tendons to move, causing pain. Repetitive use, sudden injury, or underlying conditions like shoulder impingement or rotator cuff tendonitis are common causes.

Sports involving frequent overhead motion are common causes of shoulder bursitis, including baseball pitching, throwing a football, tennis, volleyball, swimming, gymnastics and weightlifting.

Repetitive daily activities can also trigger shoulder bursitis, especially jobs or tasks that require frequent lifting, reaching overhead, painting, stocking shelves, or repeated shoulder use. Arthritis and acute shoulder injuries can also contribute.

Where Is Shoulder Bursitis Pain Usually Felt?

Shoulder bursitis pain is most commonly felt on the outer part of the shoulder or upper arm, but it may also occur at the front or top of the shoulder joint. The pain is often described as a dull ache that becomes sharper when lifting the arm, reaching overhead, reaching behind the back or performing other shoulder movements.

In some cases, shoulder bursitis pain can radiate down the upper arm toward the elbow or worsen when lying on the affected shoulder.

Who Is More Likely to Develop Shoulder Bursitis?

People who repeatedly stress the shoulder joint are more likely to develop shoulder bursitis. This includes athletes who perform frequent overhead movements, such as baseball pitchers, swimmers, tennis players, volleyball players and weightlifters.

Shoulder bursitis is also more common in people whose jobs require repetitive reaching, lifting, painting, stocking, or other repeated shoulder motion. Older adults may face a higher risk due to cumulative wear and tear. Rotator cuff problems, shoulder impingement, arthritis, poor shoulder mechanics and previous shoulder injuries can also increase risk.

When Should You See a Medical Provider for Shoulder Bursitis?

Don't let shoulder bursitis symptoms limit your activities. If shoulder pain persists, worsens, limits your range of motion, interferes with sleep, or makes everyday activities difficult, seek medical attention. Prompt evaluation is critical if your symptoms follow a sudden injury or do not improve with conservative care.

The board-certified and fellowship-trained shoulder specialists at Hoag Orthopedic Institute provide expert diagnosis and personalized treatment for shoulder bursitis and other shoulder conditions, helping relieve pain, restore mobility, and get you back to you.