Table of Contents
What is subacromial bursitis?
Subacromial bursitis is a painful condition caused by inflammation in the bursa that separates the supraspinatus tendon (the tendon of the rotator cuff) from the coracoacromial ligament and the deltoid muscle. This bursa supports movement at the joint, such as overhead activities.
Bursa are small fluid-filled sacs containing synovial fluid. They are located in several locations throughout the body. This fluid helps in smooth and frictionless joint movement. Inflammation of the subacromial bursa can occur for several reasons, causing pain in the shoulder joint and restricting movement.
How many people are affected by Subacromial bursitis?
Subacromial bursitis is relatively rare, accounting for only 0.4% of all primary care visits. It affects males and females equally, without any gender predominance. This condition is more common in people who frequently engage in overhead activities, such as athletes and factory workers. Additionally, older individuals are more prone to this type of bursitis due to their joints’ natural wear and tear over time.
What causes Subacromial bursitis?
Several factors can cause inflammation of subacromial bursitis. These include:
- Trauma to your shoulder joint
- Subacromial impingement
- Repeated stress due to overhead activities
- Hemorrhage in Subacromial space
- Infection
- Crystal Deposition in the shoulder joint
Who Is at Higher Risk of Developing Subacromial Bursitis?
Some conditions that can increase the likelihood of getting this disease are:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Gouty arthritis
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Thyroid diseases
- Uremia
What are the symptoms of Subacromial bursitis?
You may experience mild, moderate or severe pain in the anterolateral aspect (outer side) of your shoulder joint associated with the mild tenderness. Other symptoms of Subacromial bursitis are:
- Stiffness in the shoulder joint
- Swelling at the shoulder joint
- Pain during movement
- Pain while lying on the affected side
- Pain during overhead activities
What other conditions cause shoulder pain?
A few other conditions can also cause shoulder pain. They should be ruled out before making a diagnosis. These include:
- Shoulder impingement syndrome
- Frozen shoulder
- Dislocation of the shoulder joint
- Shoulder tendonitis
- Rotator cuff injury
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
Treatment of Subacromial bursitis with ANF Therapy®️:
Diagnosing Subacromial bursitis is difficult because its symptoms are similar to those of a rotator cuff injury. Your ANF Therapist will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical examination to determine if you have subacromial bursitis and to rule out other possible causes of your shoulder pain. This careful assessment helps ensure you get the correct diagnosis and treatment.
History:
Your ANF Therapist will take a detailed history regarding your disease. It includes:
- What are your presenting complaints?
- Where do you feel pain?
- Are there any relieving or aggravating factors?
- Do you have any past surgical history?
- Family history
- History of repetitive overhead activities
- History of trauma?
- History of previous medical illness?
- Occupational history
Physical examination:
During the physical examination, your ANF Therapist will start with an inspection, where they will check your shoulder joint for any visible swelling or deformity. This will be followed by palpation, where they will carefully assess your shoulder for warmth, swelling, and tenderness. Additionally, the therapist will perform specific physical tests to help rule out other conditions and confirm the diagnosis of subacromial bursitis. These tests include:
Neer’s test:
In this test, your ANF Therapist will lift your arm forward by stabilising your shoulder joint. Pain during this movement indicates subacromial bursitis.
Hawkins-Kennedy test:
Your ANF Therapist will flex your shoulder and elbow at 90 degrees and then rotate your arm inward. Pain during this movement suggests inflammation in the Subacromial space.
Neurological examination:
In neurological examination, your ANF Therapist will examine the following:
- Bicep triceps reflex
- Sensory supply
- Muscle strength
Application of ANF Devices:
Expected outcome:
Follow-up:
Regular follow-ups are essential to treating shoulder pain and checking the efficacy of ANF Devices. Your ANF Therapist will guide you on the number of follow-up sessions and treatment duration. You will need to change ANF Devices after 72 hours. Your therapist will create a personalised treatment plan for you and educate you about these changes.
Start your journey with ANF Therapy®️:
ANF Therapy®️ offers an innovative tool for managing shoulder pain. By utilising wearable ANF Devices that emit neurological frequencies, ANF Therapy®️ aims to modulate inflammatory responses, promote healing, strengthen muscle around your shoulder joint and support overall well-being related to health. This non-pharmacological therapy provides a safe and effective approach that improves disease outcomes by targeting the root cause. If you’re suffering from shoulder pain, consult an ANF Practitioner or find an ANF Therapist at www.findanf.com to start your treatment with ANF Therapy®️ today!
If you’re a healthcare practitioner who wants to enhance your clinical skills with the help of frequency medicine, visit www.anfacademy.com to learn more about ANF Therapy®️ and the ANF Clinical Education program.
How can I prevent Subacromial (shoulder) bursitis?
You can prevent the likelihood of getting shoulder bursitis by following these measures:
- Do shoulder stretching and strengthening exercises daily
- Warmup yourself before doing activities
- Avoid repetitive overhead activities
- Control your blood sugar levels
- Use a shoulder brace to assist shoulder joint during repetitive movements
- Avoid stress
FAQs:
Where Do You Feel Subacromial Bursitis Pain?
Subacromial bursitis pain occurs on the shoulder joint’s anterolateral aspect (outer side) and can also affect its mobility.
What is the difference between shoulder impingement and subacromial bursitis (shoulder impingement vs Subacromial bursitis)?
The clinical presentation of subacromial bursitis and shoulder impingement is the same, but the underlying cause differs. Shoulder impingement is caused by compression or inflammation of rotator cuff tendons. On the other hand, subacromial bursitis is caused by inflammation of the bursa in the subacromial space.
What is the best anti-inflammatory therapy for shoulder bursitis?
What happens if shoulder bursitis remains untreated?
If shoulder bursitis remains untreated, the pain and inflammation can worsen, leading to decreased range of motion, muscle weakness, and chronic bursitis. Over time, this can cause the bursa to thicken or calcify, resulting in persistent pain and stiffness. Untreated bursitis may also lead to other shoulder issues, such as rotator cuff tears or impingement syndrome, potentially requiring more invasive treatments like surgery to restore function.
About ANF Therapy®️
ANF Therapy®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.
The ANF Therapy®️ purpose is the alleviation of injury and pain within minutes.
Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal, non-invasive device, NO needles or chemicals are used.
Do you need help with your health issues? Have you been experiencing symptoms of shoulder bursitis?
Contact us, and we will explain how we can help you!
