Anatomy
At the tip of the elbow (olecranon) is a large mucosal sac to protect the elbow bone from impact and pressure.
Cause
When bumps or falls on the tip of the elbow (e.g. football goalies), the bursa can become ‘inflamed’ (inflamed), swell and become sore.
Symptoms
Soreness and swelling at the tip of the elbow with painful restriction of arm movement after a heavy load (fall). The pain is aggravated when the elbow rests on the table top (the injury is also called ‘student elbow’).
Examination
Usually, the diagnosis is made during a general clinical examination where there is pressure tenderness directly on the elbow. Often the swelling is visible. If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, an ultrasound scan can be performed where the bursa is clearly visible.
See ultrasound scan of inflamed bursa on the tip of the elbow (olecranon bursitis)
Treatment
Relief from further shocks. If the bursa does not settle, treatment can be supplemented with anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or injection of adrenal cortex hormone after draining the bursal fluid (which should be sent for bacterial testing if infection is suspected).
If it is not possible to get the bursa to shrink despite repeated treatments, the bursa can be surgically removed, which will often cause discomfort when resting the elbow on the table or otherwise bumping the elbow.
Rehabilitation
Normal training activity can be resumed immediately, avoiding strain on the elbow tip of course
Complications
If the bursa does not resolve after the above treatment, the fluid in the bursa must be drained again to rule out bacterial infection in the bursa
Especially
The injury can be partially prevented by using elbow pads (volleyball players, football goalkeepers).
