Bursitis physiotherapy Brisbane may help reduce pain, calm swelling, and restore comfortable movement when an irritated bursa flares. Bursitis often overlaps with other soft tissue injuries, so the fastest path forward usually starts with a clear diagnosis and a simple load plan. If you want local care options, see our Brisbane physiotherapists guide. If your pain links with wider sensitivity, our pain management guide may also help.

Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa—a small, fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between tissues (for example, tendon and bone). Your body has many bursae, mostly near joints where structures glide. When a bursa becomes swollen or sensitive, movement and pressure can start to feel sharp, catching, or achy.

Common hotspots include the shoulder, hip, knee, elbow, and heel. Each area has different triggers, so the best treatment matches the region, your activity level, and what caused the flare.

What causes bursitis?

Bursitis often starts after repeated compression (pressure on the bursa), friction (rubbing during movement), or a sudden spike in load (doing much more than usual). Sometimes, a direct knock or fall irritates the bursa and triggers a swelling response.

• Overuse and repetitive movement: overhead work or sport can irritate the shoulder bursa, while hill walking, running changes, or side-lying pressure can irritate the hip region.
• Prolonged pressure: kneeling (front of knee), leaning on elbows (back of elbow), or shoe pressure at the heel can irritate superficial bursae.
• Movement and strength factors: reduced hip control, weak gluteals, shoulder blade control issues, or stiff joints can increase local stress and friction. See shoulder impingement and greater trochanteric pain syndrome for related patterns.
• Medical contributors: inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis can increase the chance of bursitis flares.

Common bursitis symptoms

Symptoms depend on the region and how irritated the bursa is. Many people notice a localised ache that worsens with pressure, specific movements, or after activity.

• Local pain and tenderness over the bursa (for example, outer hip, outer shoulder, front of knee)
• Swelling or a “puffy” feel (more common in elbow and kneecap bursitis)
• Pain with movement, lifting, kneeling, leaning, or stairs (region dependent)
• Night pain if you lie on the irritated side (common with hip and shoulder flares)

When bursitis needs urgent medical review

Get same-day medical advice if you have fever, rapidly increasing redness or warmth, significant swelling after a cut or wound, or you feel unwell. These signs can suggest infection (septic bursitis), which needs prompt care.

Common types of bursitis

These are the most frequent bursitis regions we see in clinic:

• Shoulder bursitis (often linked with rotator cuff overload)
• Trochanteric bursitis (outer hip pain)
• Knee bursitis (front, inner, or below-knee bursae)
• Olecranon bursitis (swelling at the back of the elbow)
• Heel bursitis (pain at the back of the heel)

How bursitis is diagnosed

A physiotherapist will ask about your activity, load changes, sleep, and symptom triggers. Next, they will check movement, strength, and local tenderness to identify what structure drives your pain and what keeps it irritated. For a plain-language overview, MedlinePlus also summarises bursitis causes, symptoms, and tests here: Bursitis (MedlinePlus).

Bursitis treatment

Bursitis treatment usually works best when you combine load reduction (to calm the flare) with graded reloading (to stop it returning). Many people improve without injections or surgery, especially when they adjust aggravating activities early.

Early phase: reduce irritation

• Modify aggravating tasks (overhead work, kneeling, side-lying pressure, hills, jumping)
• Short bouts of gentle movement to prevent stiffening (avoid long rest where possible)
• Ice can help some people during a flare, especially after activity
• Short-term anti-inflammatory medication may help some people (only if your GP or pharmacist says it suits you)

Recovery phase: rebuild tolerance

• Region-specific strengthening (for example, rotator cuff and shoulder blade control, hip abductor strengthening, or calf and ankle capacity)
• Technique and pacing changes to reduce repeated compression and friction
• Practical advice on sleep position, work set-up, footwear, and training progressions

If you want a structured plan, start here: bursitis treatment. For related rehab principles, see soft tissue injury healing and common physiotherapy treatment techniques.

What about corticosteroid injections?

Some people consider a corticosteroid injection when pain remains high despite good load management. Injections may settle pain in some cases, but they don’t fix the underlying load driver. A physiotherapist can help you weigh the pros and cons alongside your GP, then guide the safest return to activity afterwards.

People also ask: can bursitis go away on its own?

Yes, mild bursitis can settle with time and better load control. However, bursitis often returns if the same pressure or movement pattern keeps irritating the area. A simple strengthening and pacing plan usually reduces flare-ups and helps you return to sport, work, and daily activity with more confidence.

Prevention: reduce recurrence

• Increase training loads gradually (avoid sudden spikes in volume or intensity)
• Build strength around the joint (especially hip and shoulder control)
• Change positions often if your job involves pressure on a bursa (kneeling pads, elbow padding)
• Adjust footwear if heel pressure triggers symptoms

More info

• Bursitis Treatment

Bursitis related pages

• Shoulder bursitis
• Trochanteric bursitis (hip bursitis)
• Knee bursitis
• Olecranon bursitis (elbow bursitis)
• Retrocalcaneal bursitis (heel bursitis)

What to do next

If your pain is mild, start by reducing direct pressure and cutting back the one or two activities that reliably flare it. Next, add a small amount of comfortable movement each day. If symptoms persist beyond 1–2 weeks, keep returning, or you’re unsure what structure is driving the pain, a physiotherapy assessment can help clarify the cause and map out a practical plan.

References

1. Kjeldsen T, Hvidt KJ, Bohn MB, et al. Exercise compared to a control condition or other conservative treatment options in patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Physiotherapy. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38295551/
2. Hasan M, et al. Knee bursae: a comprehensive review of clinical evaluation, imaging differentiation, and the expanding role of biologic therapies. 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12619696/
3. Kaur IP, et al. Non-surgical treatment of aseptic olecranon bursitis: a systematic review. 2023. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1699258X23000955
4. Lafrance S, et al. Diagnosing, managing, and supporting return to work of adults with rotator cuff disorders: clinical practice guideline. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35881707/
5. Disantis A, et al. ISHA physiotherapy agreement on assessment and treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS): an international consensus statement. J Hip Preserv Surg. 2023. https://academic.oup.com/jhps/article/10/1/48/6967092