Causes

The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Examples include:

• Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly
• Leaning on your elbows for long periods
• Extensive kneeling for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors

Other causes include injury or trauma to the affected area, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and infection.