Do you ever have hip pain after running, cycling, or bending for an extended period? Do you have difficulty sleeping on the affected hip? If so, you may have hip bursitis.
What is a bursa?
● The bursa is a spongy, fluid-filled sac that cushions the bones, tendons, and muscles near the joints (shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, heels, and the base of the big toes).
● The purpose of the bursa is to reduce friction between the joints and soft tissue.
Hip Bursitis
● When the bursae (plural for bursa) become irritated due to overuse of the joints via repetitive motion from constantly kneeling, bending, running, cycling and from playing sports, such as football, soccer, hockey, and baseball that involves cutting motions and the shifting of the body weight on the joints, the bursae can become inflamed or infected. This is called bursitis.
● In non-athletes, bursitis occurs more often in women and elderly people.
o These people may have had previous hip-surgery, have scoliosis, may have one leg shorter than the other, may have rheumatoid arthritis, bone spurs, and calcium deposits in the joints.
2 Forms of Bursitis
- Greater trochanter bursitis
- Iliopsoas bursitis.
● Iliopsoas bursa is located on the inside groin of the hip and is not as common as trochanter bursitis.
● When the iliopsoas bursa becomes inflamed, patients will complain of pain in the groin area.
Treatment
● Although bursa inflammation and pain present in various locations, both forms of bursitis, when non-infectious, are treated the same.
● The best treatment plan includes rest, ice, and NSAIDs to manage pain and inflammation.
● When there is an infection in the bursa, the treatment plan consists of antibiotics, aspiration of the infected fluid, and surgery.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please consult with your primary care physician or general practitioner.
References
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2020). Hip Bursitis. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/hip-bursitis.
Rosenburg, J. (2018). Hip Tendonitis and Bursitis. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/87169-overview#a5.
VectorMine. (2020). [Illustration]. Bursitis vector illustration. Labeled bursae synovial inflammation scheme. Bone and tendon illness and disease diagnosis. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/bursitis-vector-illustration-labeled-bursae-synovial-1482450590.