Not many people outside of the medical profession or who aren’t suffering from the condition of bursitis are aware that their bodies possess small sacs of synovial fluid, called bursae, located between the bones and attached muscles and tendons in the knees, elbows and shoulders. The purpose of these bursa is a simple one; namely to prevent direct friction between the bone and muscle. They usually fulfil their role effectively and without drawing any attention to themselves but like many other parts of our bodies they have flexible but definitely limited operating parameters. Subject your bursa to repetitive and long lasting strain and they will herald their distress to you by becoming inflamed or even infected.
Bursitis – it’s surprisingly widespread
Bursitis is a very common condition in the UK and throughout the world. Using recent, extrapolated health data from the United States it can be roughly estimated that one in every thirty people in this country is managing the condition at any given time. It was commonly given the names; ‘housemaid’s knee’, or ‘beat knee’ or ‘beat or tennis elbow’ which provided a graphic mind’s eye image of some of the circumstances in which it could occur.
What causes bursitis?
Generally the condition arises in the course of employment where repetitive strain associated with a particular physical movement necessary in the course of the job comes about. Bursitis has long been associated with the trades of plumber, electrician, carpet fitter and horticultural worker where long periods of kneeling, perhaps in confined spaces, with inadequate protection for the knees was common or where the arms were kept above shoulder height for lengthy periods, all giving rise to unsupportable strains on the bursa in the knees, elbows or shoulders.
If you are suffering from employment related bursitis, you might be able to make a bursitis claim if it can be demonstrated that your employer was negligent in his duty of care to ensure your health and safety, regarding illness, injury or accident and in failing to take adequate measures to, as far as was possible, prevent or alleviate the working conditions or practices responsible for the onset of your bursitis. Our personal injury solicitors are experts in the field of industrial injury claims, including bursitis, and are able to advise you as to the viability and value of any claim you are considering making and then utilising their extensive expertise and skill in this area, work tirelessly towards ensuring that you receive the maximum amount of work injury compensation to which you are entitled.
A serious medical condition
Bursitis is not a trivial condition and it can give rise to considerable levels of pain on moving or touching the affected joint, a reddening of the area and a chronic loss of flexibility in the joint which can seriously affect mobility. Whilst self-administered pain relief, ice packs, compression and elevation above heart level of the arm or leg, together with rest and avoidance of the activity which caused the condition can result in complete recovery from less severe bursitis over the course of a few weeks, infected or septic bursitis might require antibiotics, corticosteroids or even referral to a rheumatologist or orthopaedic surgeon followed by surgery to affect a satisfactory recovery.
Any compensation awarded will take into account both the pain and suffering of the claimant and the financial loss attributable directly to the effects of the bursitis which might range from additional transportation costs for medical appointments to compensation for not being able to continue with their job. Having one of our personal injury claim solicitors preparing and negotiating your claim will ensure that all the information necessary, including detailed medical reports, will be available to help determine the level of compensation awarded.
Thinking about Claiming Compensation for Bursitis? Contact us now
If you sustain bursitis at work, you could be entitled to claim compensation.
Our expert compensation claim lawyers can help you win the damages you deserve, so
- So call us on 0800 1404544, or
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