Managing Shoulder Bursitis: Exercise-Based Solutions for Long-Term Relief

Understanding the Pain of Shoulder Bursitis

You reach to grab something from a cupboard or try to lie on your side at night—and a sharp pain shoots through your shoulder. Simple movements become painful, your range of motion declines, and sleep is disrupted. This is the daily struggle for people living with shoulder bursitis.

 At Exercise Matters in Noosaville, we provide evidence-based rehabilitation for shoulder bursitis, focusing on long-term relief through targeted exercise. Our experienced Exercise Physiologists help restore function, reduce inflammation, and prevent recurrence.

What Is Shoulder Bursitis?

Shoulder bursitis occurs when the bursa—a small fluid-filled sac that cushions the space between the rotator cuff tendons and the acromion—becomes inflamed. This often results in impingement, where tendons and bursa are compressed during shoulder movements.

Common Symptoms:

• Pain when lifting the arm (especially overhead)

• Night pain, particularly when lying on the affected side

• Weakness or stiffness in the shoulder

• Tenderness in the front or top of the shoulder

Causes and Risk Factors

Shoulder bursitis is usually the result of repetitive overhead activities, poor posture, or direct trauma. Risk factors include:

• Repetitive use (e.g. tradespeople, swimmers, tennis players)

• Shoulder instability or poor scapular control

• Previous rotator cuff injury

• Postural dysfunction (e.g. rounded shoulders)

• Age-related degeneration

Our Evidence-Based Approach to Shoulder Bursitis Rehab

Our goal is not only to reduce inflammation but to restore full, pain-free movement and prevent future flare-ups.

1. Comprehensive Assessment

• Range of motion testing

• Functional shoulder screening

• Postural and scapular control assessment

• Strength testing of rotator cuff and scapular stabilisers

2. Individualised Exercise Program

• Scapular retraction and control drills

• Rotator cuff strengthening (internal/external rotation with bands)

• Thoracic mobility work

• Closed-chain shoulder stability (wall slides, quadruped rocking)

• Gradual return to overhead tasks

3. Education and Activity Modification

• Ergonomic changes for work or sleep

• Avoidance of aggravating positions (reaching, overhead lifting)

• Load management strategies for sport or manual labour

Does Exercise Help Shoulder Bursitis?

Yes. Research consistently shows that progressive exercise therapy is effective in managing subacromial bursitis.

Evidence:

• Exercise improves pain and function in people with subacromial impingement (Littlewood et al., 2013)

• Scapular-focused rehab reduces symptoms and improves movement patterns (Kibler et al., 2006)

• Exercise is superior to corticosteroid injections for long-term outcomes (Bisset et al., 2006)

• Supervised exercise leads to better outcomes than passive modalities (Holmgren et al., 2012)

• Targeted strengthening improves rotator cuff recruitment and reduces impingement symptoms (Camargo et al., 2015)

Case Study: Ella’s Return to Swimming

Ella, a 38-year-old recreational swimmer, developed shoulder bursitis after increasing her training volume. She reported sharp pain during freestyle strokes and difficulty sleeping.

After 10 weeks of working with our team:

• Pain during swimming reduced from 8/10 to 1/10

• She restored full overhead range of motion

• Strength testing showed a 30% improvement in rotator cuff control

Her program focused on scapular stability, banded rotations, and thoracic extension drills. She returned to swimming with improved biomechanics and no recurrence.

How Long Does It Take to Recover?

Most people experience improvement within 6–10 weeks when consistently following a rehab plan. Chronic cases may take longer depending on severity, inflammation, and contributing biomechanical issues.

Getting Started at Exercise Matters

We provide:

• 1-on-1 sessions with Accredited Exercise Physiologists

• Tailored shoulder rehab programs

• Reports for GPs, physios, or surgeons

📞 Call (07) 5448 3532 to book an assessment 🌐 www.exercisematters.healthcare

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the fastest way to heal shoulder bursitis?

The best approach is a combination of rest, targeted exercise, and posture correction. Ice and anti-inflammatories may reduce pain initially, but long-term healing comes from restoring strength and movement patterns through guided rehab.

2. Should I rest or exercise with shoulder bursitis?

Relative rest is important early on, but complete immobilisation can delay recovery. Guided, pain-free movement and progressive strengthening are essential for full recovery and to avoid recurrence.

3. Can shoulder bursitis come back?

Yes. Without correcting the underlying biomechanics (e.g. poor posture, weak rotator cuff, overuse), bursitis can recur. That’s why long-term rehab, not just symptom management, is crucial.

4. How do you sleep with shoulder bursitis?

Sleep on your non-affected side with a pillow supporting the affected arm across the body. Avoid lying directly on the painful shoulder. You can also try a small towel roll under the elbow to open the subacromial space.

5. Is it better to ice or heat shoulder bursitis?

Ice is preferred in the early inflammatory stages (first 48–72 hours) to reduce swelling. Heat may be helpful later to relax tight muscles around the shoulder but should not be used on actively inflamed tissue.

References:

• Littlewood C et al. (2013). Exercise for rotator cuff tendinopathy. Br J Sports Med.

• Kibler WB et al. (2006). Scapular dyskinesis and its role in shoulder pathology. Br J Sports Med.

• Bisset L et al. (2006). A systematic review and meta-analysis of corticosteroid injection for shoulder pain. Ann Rheum Dis.

• Holmgren T et al. (2012). Progressive exercise versus best practice advice for subacromial impingement. BMJ.

• Camargo PR et al. (2015). Effects of stretching and strengthening exercise on subacromial impingement. Clin Biomech.