Shoulder and hip pain · Ponsonby
Bursitis treatment that goes beyond the injection
A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that cushions tendons and bones where they meet. When it becomes inflamed, it causes a sharp or burning pain that is often deep-seated and specific to movement: reaching overhead for shoulder bursitis, or getting up from a chair and lying on that side for hip bursitis. Cortisone injections are often the first thing tried, and they can bring the pain down quickly. But for many people the relief does not last, and each injection does less than the last.
Does this sound like you?
- ✓ A deep, burning or sharp pain in the outer shoulder or outer hip
- ✓ Worse when lying on that side at night or getting up from a chair
- ✓ Reaching overhead or lifting out to the side aggravates it
- ✓ You have tried a cortisone injection and it helped initially, but the pain has returned
If that sounds like you, this is exactly what we treat. Book an assessment and we will confirm the right plan.
What is actually happening with bursitis
Bursitis is often described as a simple inflammation problem, but for people with persistent bursitis it is almost never just the bursa in isolation. There is typically an underlying tendon issue or a load pattern driving the irritation. Treating only the bursa (what an injection does) can bring relief, but it does not address why the bursa got inflamed in the first place. That is why the pain comes back.
How we treat bursitis with shockwave
We assess the shoulder or hip to understand what is driving the bursitis. Shockwave is applied to reduce the inflammatory response and stimulate tissue repair around the bursa and the adjacent tendon. We combine this with active rehabilitation targeting the muscles that control the joint: hip stabilisers for greater trochanteric bursitis; rotator cuff and scapular control for shoulder bursitis. That rehabilitation step is what makes the improvement last.
Why active rehab matters
The reason injections often do not hold is that the muscle weakness or movement pattern that created the bursitis is still there. The combination of shockwave and rehab addresses both the pain and the cause, avoiding the tissue-weakening risk of repeated steroid use.
This is one of the injuries we treat with shockwave therapy at our Ponsonby clinic. Read more about how shockwave works, who it suits and what a course of treatment involves.
Common questions
Is shockwave better than cortisone for bursitis? +
Can I have shockwave if I have had a recent injection? +
Do I need a referral? +
Related
Other injuries we treat
Shockwave therapy in Ponsonby
How shockwave works, who it suits and what a course of treatment involves.
About shockwave therapy →Achilles tendonitis treatment
The niggle at the back of the heel that will not settle, even after months of rest and stretching.
Achilles Pain →Plantar fasciitis treatment
That sharp, stabbing heel pain on the first steps out of bed in the morning.
Heel Pain →Tennis elbow treatment
Pain on the outside of the elbow from gripping all day, and you have never picked up a racquet.
Tennis Elbow →Golfer's elbow treatment
Pain on the inside of the elbow from gripping and wrist work, and you have probably never played golf.
Golfer's Elbow →Rotator cuff and shoulder pain treatment
Persistent shoulder pain limiting your overhead movement and your sleep, from a strain that has not fully resolved.
Shoulder Pain →Trigger point treatment
Tight, aching muscle knots in the neck, shoulders or back that refer pain to other areas.
Trigger Points →Hamstring pain and tendon treatment
Recurring hamstring tightness or a deep ache at the sit bone that has not resolved with stretching or rest.
Hamstring Pain →Shin splints and shin pain treatment
Shin pain that comes back every time you build your running: shin splints that rest alone has not fixed.
Shin Pain →Not sure if it's right for you?
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Book your assessment
Your first visit is a full assessment, hands-on treatment, and a plan you take home.
Visit us
Our Ponsonby clinic
Return To Form Physio
179A Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
Entry on Franklin Road
ACC registered · Multi-disciplinary team · Treating Ponsonby for over 16 years