Calcific bursitis occurs as a result of tiny calcium deposits in the collagen tissue around the hip. The cause is chronic inflammation of the bursae. The bursa is a normal structure. It is a thin sac of tissue that contains fluid to lubricate areas and reduce friction between muscles, tendons, and bones. The patient reports pain and/or tenderness along the side of the hip. This is the area of the greater trochanter. The greater trochanter is a large bump of bone that juts outward from the top of the femur (thigh bone). Large and important muscles connect to the greater trochanter. Sometimes these muscles are referred to as the rotator cuff of the hip. Chronic tendinitis of the hip rotator cuff can also contribute to this problem. The calcium deposits are called calcification. They can occur as long as there is inflammation of the bursae (or tendons). The deposits don’t always go away after the inflammation has been taken care of, but the symptoms improve.

Treatment can help to prevent further calcification as well as relieve pain and stiffness. Antiinflammatory drugs, cortisone injections into the bursa, and physical therapy have been shown effective. In rare cases, the inflamed bursa is surgically removed.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

For anyone with a total hip replacement (THR), hip pain is a red flag. Medical evaluation is important because of the risk of joint infection. Treatment depends on knowing if there is (or isn’t) an infection. There are many possible causes for the pain you are having. They may or may not be related to the implant. The first thing the orthopedic surgeon will examine is the hip itself. Your history along with the clinical presentation are very helpful. But then the spine (above) and the knee (below) will be tested as possible sources of referred pain. X-rays and lab tests may be needed to rule out a fracture, implant loosening or infection. Other possible causes include bursitis, ossification (bone formation in the muscle or surrounding soft tissue), or synovitis. Cultures of the joint taken directly from the area during surgery are the most accurate way to confirm (or rule out) joint infection. But this type of testing is not practical for the patient who doesn’t have an infection or who doesn’t need surgery. And there is a fair amount of false-positive test results with intraoperative cultures due to errors in sampling technique. Instead, the physician may rely on lab tests that are sensitive, reliable, and accurate with a low false-positive and high true-positive results. The following tests may be needed to evaluate for hip infection: erythrocyte sedimentation (SED rate), C-reactive protein (CRP), and synovial fluid white blood cell count (WBC). Don’t wait to get tested. See your surgeon now. Early diagnosis can prevent a lot of complications from delayed treatment.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

Bursitis is an infection, irritation, or inflammation of a bursa. The bursa is a small fluid-filled sac or cushion. There are many bursae throughout the body. They are found where a muscle or tendon slides across bone. 

Bursae decrease friction between two moving surfaces. With aging, they can become paper thin. Then they no longer provide the necessary cushion. When the two body parts start to rub together, bursitis can occur. Sometimes repetitive motion causes the bursae to become inflamed.

The shoulder is a very complex joint with many moving parts, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. There is a fairly large bursa between the rotator cuff and the head of the humerus (upper arm bone). The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint.

An orthopedic surgeon can help diagnose the problem. A careful history and examination may pinpoint the exact cause of your painful symptoms. There is treatment available for bursitis, if that’s what’s causing your pain. 

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

A frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis occurs when the shoulder stiffens up. There’s usually pain and always a loss of motion. The process involves thickening and contracture of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint.

A “frozen knee” is possible. Like the shoulder, loss of motion is the defining symptom although the patient often has pain as well. This condition in the knee is most common after a knee injury, chronic bursitis, or a total knee replacement.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

Hip bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa located between layers of tissue over the hip. The bursa is a round or oval-shaped, gel-filled protective pad. There are several bursaes located throughout the body, usually over a bony prominence.

With inflammation, there are usually symptoms of warmth, redness, or swelling over the painful area. A closer look at many women with hip pain suggests a different problem called greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). There is no inflammation with this problem. The person experiences pain or tenderness with pressure along the outside of the hip. It’s worse when lying on that side.

Women seem to be affected by this condition more than men but men are not immune to it. The cause of the problem remains unknown. With the gender differences, there may be hormonal or anatomic issues. But since nine per cent of the adult male population also report this problem, it’s likely there are other factors.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of exercise- and sports-related injuries in adults aged 50 to 60. Since most of these adults were born during the post World War II baby boom era, these problems are being referred to as boomeritis.

Tacking the ending or suffix: itis on a word indicates inflammation. So a bursitis would refer to inflammation of the bursa in a joint. Boomeritis is just a nickname for who (you, the baby boomer) and what (inflammation from overuse) but doesn’t identify the true underlying problem. You could have a bursitis, shoulder impingement problem, or tendinitis.

If you are unclear about your problem and what to do about it, don’t hesitate to call your physician back and discuss your situation further.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

Thigh pain can be caused by a wide range of problems. Pain can be referred to the thigh from a problem in the abdomen, low back, hip, or knee. For example, kidney stones, tumors, or blood clots can cause thigh pain.

But muscle strains, bursitis, pressure on the nerve, and hernias can also cause thigh pain. It is also possible that a problem with the implant can send pain to the thigh. Loosening of the implant, infection, and wear debris from the implant can cause thigh pain.

A simple X-ray can help show what might be going on. First, the radiologist will look for fractures. Rotation of the femur (thigh bone) indicates loosening of the implant. The X-ray can also show subsidence or sinking of the implant down into the bone.

Don’t put off having this problem checked. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent more serious problems later. It could be something as simple as muscle weakness or even a problem with posture. If this is the case, a physical therapist can help your mother with a program of exercise and posture awareness. More serious problems can be addressed by the surgeon.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

You may be experiencing a condition called snapping hip syndrome. In medical terms it’s called external coxa saltans. The sound is caused by the iliotibial band (ITB) sliding over a part of the hipbone called the greater trochanter.

The ITB is a long piece of fascia (a thick layer of connective tissue) attached at the top to a hip muscle. It goes from the hip all the way down to the outside edge of the knee.

In between the ITB and the greater trochanter is a small, round cushion called the trochanteric bursa. As the ITB rubs over the greater trochanter, the bursa tries to cushion the friction. But repeated snapping back and forth can cause inflammation of the bursa called bursitis. When bursitis occurs the patient has both snapping and pain.

The first step may be to ask your dance instructor to watch how you are doing the barre or floor exercises that cause snapping. There may be an acceptable way to change your form. Stretching the ITB may also help. Doing something now before a painful response begins is always a good idea!

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

There aren’t too many studies just on the duration of pain relief with steroid injections into the joints. Results range from one week as in your case up to 13 weeks.

It’s clear that steroid injections work better than placebo injections with saline solution. And studies show that some steroids work better than others. Long-term pain relief may require a higher dose of the steroid.

In some cases steroid injections are used to control pain and reduce rehab time after arthroscopic surgery. In a patient with recurring bursitis there may be other factors such as posture and overuse to be addressed. The injection may help calm the joint enough to work on improving alignment and motion. Combining physical therapy with steroid injection may be one way to improve overall results.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

The bursa is a fluid-filled sac placed between two structures to help cushion friction during movement. Usually it’s located between a tendon and the bone. The bursa cushions the tendon as it moves over the bone. Sometimes there’s a bursa between two ligaments.

In bursitis the bursa gets inflamed. The patient has pain mostly on movement. The most common cause is repeated motion. Arthritis, infection, and injury can also cause bursitis. Bursitis occurs more often with aging as the bursa becomes thinner and dried out.

Problems with bursitis occur in the feet, hips, knees, shoulder, and elbows. There are several bursae around the knee joint. Kneeling is a common cause of one type of knee bursitis. This is sometimes called housemaid’s knee. Another type of bursitis occurs most often in people who install carpet, but anyone can get bursitis of the knee.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.