Bursitis of the shoulder - when every movement hurts

Putting on your jacket, lifting your arm, sleeping on your side - suddenly everyday tasks become a challenge. If the shoulder is inflamed, swollen and sensitive to pressure, this is often caused by bursitis - an inflammation of the bursa. What begins harmlessly can quickly become a painful restriction of movement - with significant effects on everyday life, sleep and mood.

The good news is that with targeted therapy, early relief and a professional rehabilitation concept, the shoulder can calm down and regenerate in the long term.

What is bursitis?

Bursae are small, fluid-filled cushions that are located wherever tendons slide over bones or joints - including in the shoulder, one of the most mobile and at the same time most vulnerable joints in our body.

If there is an overload, irritation or direct injury, the bursa becomes inflamed - usually the subacromial bursa. This leads to

  • dull pain, often at rest and at night

  • Pressure sensitivity over the acromion

  • Pain when moving over 90

  • limited arm mobility

Why bursitis can become chronic

Not every bursitis heals by itself. If pain is ignored or the arm continues to be strained incorrectly or too much, the inflammation will persist or flare up again and again.

Which favors chronic processes:

  • persistent muscular imbalance, e.g. due to one-sided strain or poor posture

  • Compensatory movement patterns that increase shoulder pain

  • Tension in the neck, thoracic spine or trunk

  • Stress & vegetative tension that makes muscular relief difficult

The result: the body protects the shoulder, movement is avoided - and a vicious circle of pain, protection and restriction develops.

Physiotherapy - targeted relief instead of incorrect rest

Modern physiotherapy for shoulder bursitis is not prohibitive training, but active re-balancing. The aim is to calm the inflammation, improve mobility and, above all, restore safety to the nervous system.

Therapeutic focus:

  • Manual relief techniques for the shoulder, neck and thoracic spine

  • Movement in a pain-free zone, e.g. with pulleys, rods or via sensorimotor control

  • Strengthening the rotator cuff - dosed, mindful, functional

  • Fascia work & breath integration to open the chest and regulate tension

  • Medical yoga or therapeutic flows - for stabilization in everyday life and to promote self-awareness

Objective: To reduce shoulder pain, reduce fear of movement and regain the ability to act.

Occupational therapy - when everyday life and shoulders get out of balance

Shoulder complaints are not only physically limiting - they also make you mentally tired. Anyone who can no longer dress, wash their hair or sleep independently quickly loses their sense of self-determination.

Occupational therapy approaches:

  • Everyday adaptation & ergonomic advice - e.g. workplace, household, sleeping position

  • Movement skills despite pain - functional training for dressing, gripping and carrying

  • Energy management & pacing - how much strain is sensible without irritating?

  • Strengthening self-efficacy through goal work & resource activation

  • Creative methods & bodywork, e.g. to process frustration or sensory overload

Focus on the person - not just the joint

At Hockenholz, we don't just look at the x-ray or the findings - we look at the person who suddenly feels restricted, overwhelmed or blocked. Our approach is biopsychosocial:

  • Educate instead of scare - knowledge reassures

  • Movement as a language of regulation - mindful, activating, integrative

  • Holistic treatment, in close cooperation with doctorsand therapists

Conclusion: Bursitis of the shoulder - treatable, adjustable, movable

Bursitis can be very unpleasant - but it is no reason to give up. With a well-founded, empathic and movement-oriented therapy, the shoulder can be brought back into balance - step by step, with a feeling for limits and perspectives.

Are you a therapist and want to learn how to effectively help people with shoulder pain?
👉 Then find out more about our training courses on pain therapy, movement concepts and functional occupational therapy:
👉 www.hockenholz.com/weiterbildungen

Are you affected yourself?
We support you - professionally, individually and at eye level.
In Berlin or via online counseling.

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