What is Subacromial bursitis?

Subacromial bursitis is the condition of inflammation of the bursa occurring at your shoulder and it causes shoulder pain. Bursa is the structure that provides cushioning to the soft tissue like muscle/tendon/ and ligament against the hard tissue like bone, bursa reduces the friction while movement.

Shoulder pain due to Subacromial bursitis is subdivided into 3 phases- Acute, Chronic & Recurrent. The acute phase is characterized by local inflammation at the superior aspect of the shoulder and pain while doing shoulder movement, especially overhead movement. The chronic condition leads to constant shoulder pain and weakness of musculature and the chronic inflammatory process leads to the rupture of surrounding ligaments & tendons. Recurring subacromial bursitis is common in patients with repetitive trauma and routine overhead activities, it also can present in the patient having rheumatoid arthritis

Subacromial bursitis can cause

• shoulder pain & tenderness generally at the outside and tip of the shoulder
• shoulder pain when doing an overhead activity such as reaching shelves or washing or combing hair
• swelling and redness around the shoulder
• shoulder stiffness
• reduced range of motion of the shoulder

Factors that can increase the chance of shoulder pain of subacromial bursitis are

• Subacromial impingement
• Repetitive overhead activity
• Direct trauma
• Crystal deposition
• Subacromial hemorrhage
• Infection
• Autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis)

Physiotherapy treatment:

1. glenohumeral mobilization: it can be done through manual technique or with the help of a therapeutic machine such as the Super Inductive System.
2. Soft tissue massage.
3. Gentle pendulum range of motion exercise.
4. Scapular exercises like shoulder shrugs and retraction exercises.
5. Stretching of tight musculature such as levator scapulae, pectoralis major, subscapularis & upper trapezius muscle.
6. Strengthening of rotator cuff muscles.
7. Strengthening of muscles such as serratus anterior, rhomboids, and lower trapezius muscle using thera band and tube.
8. Kinesio taping for pain relief and inflammation reduction.
9. Also, PNF exercises.
10. Cryotherapy.
11. Combo therapy.
12. Extracorporeal Shockwave therapy.