Evaluation of current bursitis treatments and directions for future treatment technology

Bursitis is a widespread and common issue of soft tissue pain. The majority of bursitis patients will obtain long-term pain relief from conservative, noninvasive treatments, however not all. Those that do not experience sufficient pain relief from conservative treatments such as physical therapy and over the counter medications are typically not given a clear, short path to how and when they will experience long term pain relief. More invasive treatment options often introduce undesired infection risks and may only provide short term pain relief, if at all. This study aimed to identify the specific bursitis population that would most benefit from improved bursitis treatments and potential technologies that could be developed to best address current treatment shortcomings. Direct survey of bursitis patients was performed to assess the likely implementation and characteristics of a new innovative engineering solution centered around patient-reported needs. A less invasive treatment that is more effective at reducing pain than current treatments could save some bursitis patients months or years of treatment time, expenses, and unaddressed pain.