Bursitis is an inflammation in the "Bursa" - a fluid-filled cavity within the knee that's designed to lubricate and protect your joints, so as to avoid discomfort when you move. Bursitis can be caused by bruising, bumping, or exerting repeated pressure on the area, and if you have suffered from this condition before, you'll know just how much it can hurt.

The good news is that if you know the right tips for knee bursitis, and you cut down on activities that may worsen your symptoms, you should begin to feel better in no time. Following, we'll cover a few basic recovery tips for knee bursitis, and how to avoid making the condition worse. 

Watch Out for Infection

If you decide to use these recovery tips for knee bursitis, and tough out the pain while you wait for natural recovery, it's important to make sure that you're not ignoring a more significant problem with your joints. While it's common to feel warmth radiating from the skin around your swollen knee, you should be wary of a temperature that runs through your entire body, as this could indicate infection.

If swelling and soreness persist for a long period of time, don't simply turn to your knee compression sleeve, speak to a physician and make sure there isn't a bigger problem that needs to be dealt with.

Ice The Problem

Icing your injured knee is a useful way to bring down the swelling and reduce some of the pain you might be feeling. It works because the extreme cold slows the blood flow to the affected area, reducing the throbbing sensation you get when dealing with inflammation. When offering recovery tips for knee bursitis, most health professionals recommend a combination of hot and cold therapy over time.

Don't forget to protect your skin from the impact of ice by placing cloth between the flesh and the ice pack. Also, keep in mind that ice should be used only for the first couple of days after an injury takes place. If you're still relying heavily on an ice pack after that, you need to speak to a doctor.

Maintain Motion

While rest is important when recovering from an injury to the joint, most recovery tips for knee bursitis suggest that maintaining some motion is crucial. After all, the last thing you want is to be dealing with the pain of bursitis, and a stiff joint at the same time. Conduct a few gentle exercises on a regular basis to help ensure that your joint remains flexible.

While all exercises you do should be approved by a doctor, most will involve simply swinging your lower leg back and forth carefully while sitting on a chair, to help prompt movement without placing any extra strain or weight on the knee.

If you do start exercises and begin to notice that the swelling, or the pain gets worse, make sure that you stop the movement immediately and speak to your doctor. Don't persist past the discomfort.