Subacromial bursitis

A bursa is a fluid filled sac filled with synovial fluid that reduces friction between moving tissues in a joint. Diagnoses of bursitis or scarring in a joint capsule are usually made without any evidence other than it is the location where the person feels pain. Sometimes there is imaging evidence of bursa inflammation or supraspinatus tendon tears. But these diagnoses describe symptoms, not the causes of the symptoms. There are shoulder muscles that refer pain into the subacromial bursa area, the most common is the low trapezius muscle, a scapular stabilizer. The other common source issue creating this pain is dysfunctional scapular rotation. When the arm is abducted (lifted to the side) the scapula has to rotate so the arm can abduct. If the scapula is not rotating properly, the humerus compresses the bursa against the acromion process every time the arm is abducted and this repeated stress can cause problems in the bursa and the suprascapular tendon that live there. The CTB shoulder pain treatment protocol starts with examining scapular rotation for this type of symptom. Because of its generally muscular origins, this pain complaint is usually handily resolved by CTB therapists.

Updated on: 10/06/2024