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This month GP Alice Fitzgibbon covers a condition called bursitis.
You may have heard bursitis mentioned recently if you listen to the Professional Builder podcast. We discussed the condition – and how to prevent it – during a recent episode. So, what is it?
Bursitis is a condition that affects fluid filled sacs we have lying near our joints called bursa.
The bursae are thin, fluid filled sacs that sit between bones and tendon in the body. Their job is to act as a cushion and reduce friction between the surface of bones and soft tissues of the joints to help the joints move smoothly when moving. They are all around the body beside various joints, however some are more prone to bursitis – in particular the bursae at the elbow or the knee.
Bursitis happens when these sacs become irritated. This causes them to swell with fluid and become inflamed. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on knee bursitis. Bursitis of the knee is particularly common in professionals such as tilers, joiners, carpet fitters and gardeners. This is because there are several bursae around the knee joints. These professionals spend a lot of time kneeling on hard surfaces or bending repeatedly, which puts pressure on the joint and can trigger the condition.
So, what are the symptoms?
The symptoms of knee bursitis are knee swelling, redness, tenderness and stiffness or difficulty in bending the knee. It is often painful and the swelling may be quite dramatic. People with bursitis are normally well with their symptoms, and do not have features such as a temperature, nausea or vomiting. If any of these extra features were present, it may be another condition causing the joint swelling, such as infection, and this would be managed differently and require medical assessment urgently.
The good news with bursitis is that the inflammation of the bursa in most cases will be self-limiting and improve with time. The key thing to do is rest the knee joint and stop doing the triggering movement – eg kneeling or squatting. Using cold compresses and taking anti-inflammatories may also help if they are suitable for you to take with no contraindications. If you are unsure of this, please check with your pharmacist before taking. In very few cases, bursitis can be a chronic issue. If this is the case, aspirating (removing the fluid from the bursa with a needle) may be tried, steroid injections may be given, or the bursa may need to be surgically removed, although this would only be in rare cases.
The best way to prevent bursitis is to use knee protection when performing jobs that involve kneeling, and to try and avoid long periods of bending or squatting. Kneepads can take the pressure off the bursa and the knee joint, so the initial damage does not occur. The use of knee protection not only helps to protect the knee joint, it is also a preventative measure from needing time off work should you have a nasty episode of bursitis. As the knee is a load bearing joint (it carries our body weight) it is important also to consider weight loss if needed. Losing weight can help knee problems improve significantly.
Bursitis is not normally a serious condition. It can be managed safely and generally settles down by itself. It can cause problems if recurrent or it leads to time off work. If you think you may have symptoms of bursitis but are unwell, or not sure that your swollen joint is bursitis, then please seek a medical assessment via your GP to rule out any other causes.
For more information on Bursitis from the NHS visit Bursitis – NHS (www.nhs.uk).
If you would like to listen to Professional Builder’s podcast on knee protection visit Knees to know – Professional Builder (captivate.fm).
