Bursitis Kinesiology Tape Guide: Hip, Shoulder & Knee Bursa Support

22.March.2026

Kinesiology Tape for Knee Pain: Complete Relief Guide for Athletes and Active Individual

0 Comments

21.March.2026

Kinesiology Tape for Knee Pain: Complete Relief Guide for Athletes and Active Individuals

0 Comments

21.March.2026

Kinesiology Tape Benefits: Complete Guide to Uses, Applications, and Therapeutic Effects

0 Comments

05.August.2025

Kinesiology Tape for Plantar Fasciitis: Complete Pain Relief and Recovery Guide

0 Comments

Bursitis Kinesiology Tape Guide: Hip, Shoulder & Knee Bursa Support

Kinesiology Sports Tape 22.May.2026 0 comments

60-Second Taping Guide

Bursitis (Hip, Shoulder, Knee, Elbow)

Pre-cut kinesiology tape to lift skin off the inflamed bursa, ease pressure pain and support return to normal activity.

You will need: 2 to 3 pre-cut I-strips · Time: 2 minutes · Wear time: 5 to 7 days · Best applied: joint in neutral position.

What is bursitis?

A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that cushions a joint and reduces friction between tendons, muscles and bone. Bursitis is inflammation of one of these sacs, most commonly trochanteric bursitis (outer hip), subacromial bursitis (shoulder), prepatellar bursitis (“housemaid’s knee”), or olecranon bursitis (“student’s elbow”). The pain is localised, often worse with direct pressure (lying on the side for hip, leaning on the elbow), and may be accompanied by visible swelling.

Shoulder anatomy showing the pain zone for bursitis — Shoulder anatomy — pain typically localised to the highlighted zone.

Common causes

Repetitive pressure: kneeling, leaning on elbows, side-sleeping
Sudden increase in activity (running for hip, throwing for shoulder)
Direct trauma: a fall onto the affected joint
Underlying tendon issue causing secondary bursa irritation
Inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis

How kinesiology tape helps bursitis

The key mechanism for bursitis is the skin lift effect: tape applied with the right tension lifts the skin minutely, which is thought to reduce pressure on the inflamed bursa and improve lymphatic drainage. A second strip cues the surrounding muscle to engage more efficiently, reducing the compressive forces on the joint. Tape gives most people pressure-pain relief within hours, meaningful for sleep, sitting and lying down.

How to apply: shoulder bursitis example

Shoulder taping demonstration on a man for subacromial bursitis — Shoulder bursitis

Upper leg taping demonstration on a man for trochanteric hip bursitis — Hip bursitis

Knee taping demonstration on a woman for prepatellar bursitis — Knee bursitis

Elbow taping demonstration on a man for olecranon bursitis — Elbow bursitis

01

Prep

Joint in neutral position. Clean dry skin over the painful area.

02

Strip 1

Star pattern: 2 strips crossing over the tender spot at 50 to 75% stretch. Anchor ends flat.

03

Strip 2

Third strip along the surrounding muscle at 25% stretch.

04

Activate

Rub firmly 30 seconds. Move the joint through pain-free range.

If the bursa is hot, red and swollen, or you have a fever, see a GP urgently. Septic bursitis needs antibiotics or drainage. Don’t tape over an obviously infected bursa.

Best Tape For This

Pick a colour based on where it goes: black for hip and knee under tights, beige for elbow under sleeves.

Black Shop the range

Recovery tips beyond taping

Reduce direct pressure: sleep on the other side, kneel on a pad, don’t lean on the elbow.
Strengthen the surrounding muscles: glute med for hip, rotator cuff for shoulder, quads for knee.
Address tight structures: foam roll TFL and IT band for hip, doorway stretch for shoulder.
Ice 10 to 15 minutes 2 to 3 times daily for the first week to reduce swelling.
NSAIDs short term if appropriate: ibuprofen 400mg with food, max 5 to 7 days. Speak to a pharmacist.
Steroid injection from a GP or physio if conservative care fails after 4 to 6 weeks.

When to see a physio or GP

See a GP urgently for any bursa that is hot, red, severely swollen, or accompanied by fever. Septic bursitis is a medical emergency. See a physio for any bursitis that doesn’t improve after 4 to 6 weeks of self-management, or for advice on the underlying mechanical cause.

Frequently asked

Bursitis or tendinopathy?

Often hard to tell, they coexist. Bursitis tends to be more localised pain with direct pressure; tendinopathy hurts with the specific movement that loads the tendon. Both respond to similar conservative care.

Can I exercise with bursitis?

Light activity is fine. Avoid the specific movement that aggravates: hip bursitis hates side-lying and crossing legs; shoulder hates overhead reaching.

How long does it take to settle?

Acute bursitis: 2 to 4 weeks. Chronic or recurrent: 6 to 12 weeks with proper rehab of the underlying cause.

Should I get a steroid injection?

If conservative care (rest, tape, strengthening, NSAIDs) hasn’t worked after 4 to 6 weeks, an image-guided steroid injection can be helpful. Discuss with a GP or physio. It’s not a first-line treatment.