While kneeling is certainly one of the most common, there can be a variety of other causes for bursitis. These include:
- Previous injury – Trauma to the knee can cause the bursa to fill with blood and the lining to become inflamed. While the body may reabsorb the blood, the lining can still remain inflamed and cause the bursitis symptoms.
- Repetitive, prolonged actions of the knee – Frequent “mini-traumas,” such as constant pressure on the knee from kneeling on hard surfaces, can cause the same problems as one single serious trauma. Once again, this can cause the bursa to fill with blood over time and become irritated and inflamed.
- Underlying condition – The bursa can become inflamed because of another condition that affects the knee altogether such as knee rheumatoid arthritis, knee osteoarthritis, gout, and pseudogout. In instances like these, the treatment may focus on the condition which will reduce bursitis pain in the process.
- Infection – When the prepatellar bursa is infected, it can cause something called septic bursitis. Septic bursitis infection can reach the bursa through a cut, puncture, or even an insect bite. It is common in the summertime and people with cancer, HIV/AIDS, lupus, alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes may be more likely to get septic bursitis.