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A bursa is a sac filled with fluid and it protects the body’s tissue from creating friction between the tendons, muscles, and bones. When a bursa becomes inflamed, it can cause decreased mobility. Bursitis refers to the inflammatory response to a person’s bursa. Bursae are located all around your body in the major joints such as shoulders, hips, and knees.

The treatment for knee bursitis can include anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy to help with the pain associated with this condition. Here are the 5 most common causes of knee bursitis.

Improper Exercise

Exercise is undoubtedly good for your physical health and mental wellbeing, however, if you don’t maintain proper posture, you could injure yourself. This also includes not stretching properly before and after you exercise. 

Each exercise movement whether it be lifting weights, running, or trying the plank, has to be performed correctly. This ensures that you not only protect your muscles and tendons but that you get the most out of your exercise routine.

Generalized Overuse

To diagnose bursitis, one must either undergo blood testing, an ultrasound, or an MRI. This is to detect how badly a bursa has been affected. The easiest way to get bursitis is to overuse joints with strenuous exercise or unnecessary heavy lifting. 

Other movements such as kneeling or cleaning floors on your hands and knees can cause bursitis as well. If you have problems with painful joints, try wearing knee pads, avoid overuse of your joints, and contact a professional like Kneecare Clinics to get treatment as early as possible.

Infection

If you have an infection you should know to stay away from any physical exertion that could make it worse. Almost 80% of bursitis cases caused by infection were associated with streptococci, similar to scarlet fever and bacteria from sour dairy products. 

Candida and TB are also closely linked to infections associated with bursitis

Chronic Disease

Many chronic conditions such as diabetes and thyroid disease can aggravate your bursae, causing bursitis. It’s more common with an overactive thyroid, which causes the joints to thicken, further causing the tissue to swell up.

Less serious conditions can also contribute to the problem, like arthritis, tendonitis, and gout. Areas affected by bursitis will become red and painful. People most often experience localized pain and lose range of motion.

Obesity

Obesity can cause a whole range of health problems, and bursitis is just one of them. When a person is carrying extra weight, it places more pressure on all bones, muscles, and tendons. This continuous pressure over extended periods means the joints that you use every day like your knees and hips are under immense pressure all the time.

For an overweight individual, there is almost three times more pressure on vital organs like your heart and lungs. The heavier a person is, the more pressure the body has to manage to keep that person alive.

The treatment for bursitis can also be done by either injecting steroids into the painful areas or releasing the pressure by removing fluid build-up in the bursa. The ideal treatment is prevention, so maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle to prevent this condition.