Runners are most commonly affected by which bursitis?

• A. Trochanteric Bursitis
• B. Medial Epicondylitis
• C. Subacromial Bursitis
• D. Infrapatellar Bursitis

Answer: (A)

Runners commonly develop bursitis from repetitive friction at sites where soft tissue glides over bone. The bursa over the greater trochanter of the hip is particularly stressed during running, as the iliotibial band repeatedly slides across the trochanter with each stride. When inflamed, this trochanteric bursa causes lateral hip pain and tenderness at the outer hip, often worsened by running, stairs, or lying on the affected side, with symptoms that may persist after activity. This pattern matches the typical overuse injury seen in runners.

The other bursae listed involve different joints and activities: subacromial bursitis affects the shoulder, infrapatellar bursitis affects the front of the knee and is often linked to kneeling or jumping, and bursitis around the medial epicondyle involves the elbow from repetitive wrist motions. These are less characteristic of the runner’s usual overuse pattern.