MedTerms Medical Dictionary

Elbow bursitis: At the tip of the elbow (the olecranon area), there is a bursa, a fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction with motion. This bursa is known as the olecranon bursa. Because of its location, the olecranon bursa is subject to trauma, ranging from simple repetitive weight bearing while leaning, to banging in a fall. This trauma can cause a common, aseptic form of bursitis (olecranon bursitis) with varying degrees of swelling, warmth, tenderness and redness in the area overlying the point of the elbow.

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