Overview
The olecranon bursa is a thin, fluid-lined sac between the skin and the point of the elbow. It allows the skin and nearby tissues to glide over the olecranon as the elbow moves.
Because it is so superficial, the bursa is exposed to direct knocks, prolonged pressure and small skin injuries.
Common Problems
Olecranon bursitis causes a visible, sometimes dramatic pocket of swelling at the back of the elbow. It may follow pressure or trauma, occur with inflammatory conditions, or become infected. A swollen bursa may be relatively painless, whereas infection more often causes warmth, redness, tenderness or systemic illness.
When to Get It Assessed
Rapidly increasing redness, warmth, drainage, fever, an open wound or feeling unwell requires prompt medical assessment because infected bursitis needs different treatment from simple pressure-related swelling.
References
- StatPearls. “Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Elbow Joint.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532948/
- NCBI Bookshelf. “Elbow Imaging with an Emphasis on MRI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570155/