What is knee bursitis?
The knee contains 11 bursae each grouped in 4 main 'sacs.' These are located around the knee joint and patella. Each bursa serves as a lubricant for tendons, ligaments and skin as they slide across the rough surface of bone, and reduces friction. A bursa can become easily inflamed and irritated as they are prone to overuse. Knee bursitis is a soft tissue injury that occurs when one of the three major bursae become inflamed. This injury can occur in an indirect or direct way as inflammation can occur from an external blow or an internal factor such as overuse. Overuse can cause knee bursitis when a bursa is weakened due to strenuous or repeated movements.
How does it affect softball players?
As knee bursitis can occur both indirectly and directly, there are multiple ways in which this injury can occur in softball. An athlete may apply too much pressure on the knee and overuse it which will cause indirect damage to the knee. Or, an athlete may develop knee bursitis through either a ball, a player, or a bat striking the knee with exude force. This blow may cause the bursa sacs to burst or work ineffectively. Also, an athlete that falls repeatedly on the knee can develop knee bursitis as the bursa sacs may get damaged from this external blow.