Olecranon bursitis is inflammation of the bursa that sits over the point of your elbow. This bursa is a fluid filled sac which allows your elbow to bend and straighten easier by letting the skin move easily over your elbow bones. When the bursa becomes inflamed movement of your elbow may become difficult or painful.
Olecranon bursitis can occur due to two reasons. The first and less common cause is from an infection in the body. The infection could be bacterial related or come from an insect bite or a cut/abrasion in the area. The more common cause of olecranon bursitis is a fall or blow to the elbow point.
The most common symptoms you will experience if you have olecranon bursitis is pain and notable swelling over the elbow point. If there is a lot of redness around your elbow and you are suffering from fevers this may indicate that your symptoms are coming from an infection. Usually you will still be able to move your elbow freely but touching the elbow point will be painful.
A thorough history of how your elbow pain and swelling began will aid the physiotherapist in identifying the cause of your olecranon bursitis.
Treatment will be determined based on the cause of your bursitis. If there is a current infection in your body, your physiotherapist will refer you to a medical professional for further review.
If this sounds like something that you may be experiencing, give the clinic a call and we can help you get back on track and move pain free.
STC has adapted to the COVID-19 crisis:
For those that do not need hands-on treatment or are in the vulnerable person category, we are now offering online physiotherapy and online classes, which are claimable via your health fund rebates.
We are still offering face to face physiotherapy services for those with significant musculoskeletal pain or post-surgical rehabilitation, this may change if the crisis escalates.
We are offering several classes online including Pilates and Mums & Bubs post/antenatal rehabilitation. We’re able to facilitate varied online classes, so if you’re more comfortable with conducting your rehab from home, let us know and we’ll arrange to have you dialled in online to a class.