Bursitis

Tennis Doctor & Tennis Expert Guide

If you play tennis regularly, pain around the shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee can sometimes be caused by more than a strained muscle or “tennis elbow.” One possibility is bursitis—irritation and inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac called a bursa.

Bursae act like cushions between bones and nearby muscles, tendons, and skin, helping tissues glide smoothly during movement. When a bursa becomes irritated, repetitive tennis movements can make the pain worse.

Bursitis can turn an ordinary tennis movement into a painful experience. A swollen elbow after repeatedly hitting the court, shoulder pain during serving, or tenderness around the hip after hours of lateral movement may sometimes involve a bursa rather than the tendon itself.

From a tennis-focused sports-medicine perspective, the key is to identify what structure is actually causing the pain, reduce the mechanical irritation, and then progressively rebuild the player's ability to tolerate tennis.

Quick Overview

What Is Bursitis?