At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, where we specialize in problems of the back and joints, we see a fair number of cases of elbow bursitis. This condition occurs in the fluid-filled sac at the bony tip of the elbow, known as the olecranon bursa. Our doctors are physiatrists, focused on relieving pain and restoring function without surgical intervention, so elbow bursitis is right up our alley. If you are suffering pain and swelling at the elbow, contact us for an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment.
What is elbow bursitis?
Bursae, located at a great many joints in the body, assist in easing movement as tendons, ligaments, muscles, and skin glide over bones. Tiny, slippery sacs of fluid, bursae provide cushions to reduce friction between surfaces during joint movement.
Under normal circumstances, bursae hold only a minimal amount of fluid, but if irritated they can become inflamed and fill with excess fluid. When this occurs at the elbow, patients experience the pain and restricted mobility of elbow bursitis.
Causes of Elbow Bursitis
There are a number of common causes of elbow bursitis, though patients are sometimes unaware of the cause of their particular problem. Common causes of elbow bursitis include:
- Trauma to the site, such as hitting the elbow against a hard surface, landing on the elbow during a fall
- Injury to the elbow while engaging in sports activities, such as football, hockey, volleyball or basketball
- Resting the elbow on a hard surface for extended periods, for instance when studying or typing on a computer keyboard (commonly known as “student’s elbow”)
- Working at an occupation in which weight is often put on the elbow, e.g. plumbing, mining, gardening, automotive or other mechanical repair
- Developing an infection in the elbow bursa as a result of a penetrating scrape, puncture wound or insect bite
- Having a medical condition that affects the joints, like gout or rheumatoid arthritis, makes you more prone to developing elbow bursitis
Our doctors are well-respected diagnosticians, but whether or not we can pinpoint the source of your elbow bursitis, we can certainly help you heal. We offer a broad range of treatments, all nonsurgical, that will alleviate your pain and help you regain full range of motion.
Symptoms of Elbow Bursitis
The earliest sign of elbow bursitis may be swelling at the back of the elbow or the pain that accompanies that swelling. Depending on the patients’ pain thresholds, it may be days or weeks for them to seek medical attention. As with most medical conditions, the sooner a qualified professional takes a look, the sooner the condition can be remedied.
Symptoms of elbow bursitis may include:
- Swelling at the back of the elbow which may not be noticeable at first because the skin at the site is naturally loose
- Pain that develops as swelling increases, putting direct pressure on the elbow as it rests on a hard surface or bends, eventually restricting motion of the joint
- Redness and warmth to the touch if the bursa becomes infected
It should be noted that infection in the elbow bursa (or anywhere in the body) should be treated quickly since otherwise it may spread to other parts of the arm or even enter the bloodstream. You should be aware that if you develop a fever or pus spontaneously drains from the site, the situation is very serious and urgent medical attention is required.
Risk Factors of Elbow Bursitis
Specific population groups are at higher risk for elbow bursitis.
For instance, men have an increased susceptibility to developing bursitis, while older patients face an increasingly higher likelihood of developing the condition. Body mass index also correlates with increased risk.
Those with preexisting medical conditions and comorbidities also have a higher risk of contracting bursitis. For instance, patients with hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout already deal with inflammation that can contribute to bursitis development.
Workers who frequently lean on their elbows at work or who operate in confined spaces (such as plumbers, miners, mechanics, and technicians) are at elevated risk of developing elbow bursitis.
Diagnosis
If you are experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should make an appointment at one of our five conveniently located Long Island offices. You will find our staff welcoming, concerned with your comfort, and efficient in getting to the heart of the problem.
After discussing your symptoms and medical history, we will examine your arm and elbow. Depending on what we find, we may administer X-rays to rule out other potential issues, such as a foreign body in the elbow or a bone spur. Bone spurs are more likely if you have had repeated instances of elbow bursitis.
The next step is to take a needle sample of the fluid in your elbow bursa. This will show whether you have gout or an infection, either of which we can treat with medication (anti-inflammatories for gout, antibiotics for infection).
Treatment
No matter whether your bursitis is related to an injury, an infection, ongoing pressure put on your elbow joint, or an unknown cause, our doctors have several options available to treat your pain and limited mobility. These include:
- An elbow pad to protect the joint
- Recommended changes in daily activities
- Targeted physical therapy (i.e. exercises, light compression, applied ice packs)
- Oral medications (e.g. ibuprofen or prednisone)
- Ultrasound-guided injections of painkiller and anti-inflammatory at the site
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Acupuncture
Your doctor will explain in detail which of these options is best in your case, paying close attention to your own preferences and concerns. As you can see, we offer both traditional and complementary therapies, most often in combination, so that your recovery can go as quickly as possible.
How Can Sports Medicine Approaches Help Athletes Recover from Elbow Bursitis?
Elbow bursitis often impacts athletes and active individuals who depend on upper-body movement. Athletes often engage in repetitive overhead motions from activities like tennis and golf, sustain direct trauma from contact sports like football, and put their bodies under increased training loads in the gym.
Athletes can also develop secondary complications when elbow bursitis interferes with their biomechanics, causing their entire body to compensate and affecting their movement pattern.
For athletes to safely return to their sport, they need sport-specific functional testing and graduated protocols—throwing sports, racquet sports, and contact activities all have different physical demands.
How Long Does Recovery Typically Take With Proper Treatment?
The timeline for your recovery from elbow bursitis can vary significantly based on multiple factors, but most cases of bursitis resolve within a few weeks.
During the first two weeks, you should focus on inflammation control and pain management. Use the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) to relieve your symptoms.
Within two to six weeks of your recovery period, you will undergo physical therapy interventions, with gentle range-of-motion exercises and gradual strengthening protocols.
The time it takes for you to return to full activity will depend on your individual physiology and activities. Athletes and workers with high physical demands typically require longer recovery periods to achieve pre-injury performance levels.
At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, our treatment approaches always align with current medical literature and established clinical guidelines, helping you achieve recovery within the projected timeline for bursitis patients—and sometimes, even sooner.
What Role Does Proper Injection Technique Play in Treatment Success?
If more conservative measures do not feel effective, you may want to consider injections.
Corticosteroid injection, for instance, can help promote rapid recovery within one week for some patients: The three-step technique involves aspiration, corticosteroid injection, and compression bandaging and boasts success rates of 95-100% in appropriate candidates.
Advanced ultrasound imaging can give your physician a real-time visualization of where they should inject the needle, which reduces risks of accidental injection into the surrounding tissues. This technology enables practitioners to confirm proper bursa targeting while avoiding adjacent structures including tendons and nerves.
At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, our physiatrists use the latest in ultrasound imaging technology to precisely diagnose and guide your treatment, with real-time assessment of your bursa inflammation. We specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation, focusing on restoring your body’s function and managing your pain without invasive surgical intervention.
What Specific Exercises Can Speed Your Recovery?
Therapeutic exercise programs play a fundamental role in elbow bursitis rehabilitation, helping you restore normal function while preventing re-injury.
Simple elbow flexion exercises involve sitting comfortably and bending the elbow as far as possible without pain, using the opposite hand to apply gentle overpressure to increase the stretch. Hold this exercise for 10–20 seconds and repeat it up to 10 times, and gradually increase your range of motion as you can tolerate it.
Strengthening exercises can help build up your surrounding muscle once you restore your range of motion. Tricep extensions and bent-over rows can help strengthen the posterior shoulder and upper back muscles that support proper elbow mechanics.
Stretching can help address muscle tightness that contributes to ongoing symptoms. Stretch your tricep by bending the affected elbow and raising it overhead with the hand positioned close to the ear, then using the opposite arm to push the elbow backward until a stretch is felt along the entire back of the arm.
Our multidisciplinary approach at Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine combines physical therapy, stretch treatments, and strengthening protocols into your treatment system. This way, you do not need constant referrals to multiple providers. Instead, you will receive consistent communication throughout your entire treatment course.
How Can Proper Sleep Positioning Reduce Nighttime Pain?
Individuals with elbow bursitis often experience sleep interruptions, as nighttime positioning can significantly impact patients’ pain levels and healing processes.
While sleeping, prioritize neutral elbow alignment and pressure distribution. Try sleeping on your back with arms positioned by your sides, as this position maintains natural joint alignment while avoiding direct pressure on the inflamed bursa. If you cannot maintain a straight elbow without discomfort, place a pillow at your wrist to prevent excessive extension while maintaining overall arm support.
For side sleepers, avoid sleeping on the affected side, which can compress the inflamed bursa and reduce blood flow to the healing tissues. When sleeping on the unaffected side, use a pillow between the body and the affected arm to provide support and prevent the upper arm muscles from placing strain on the elbow.
Do not sleep with your arm positioned above your head, as this creates excessive strain on the elbow joint and surrounding soft tissues, potentially worsening your inflammation.
Consider using sleep support accessories to improve your comfort levels and treatment outcomes. Tennis elbow braces designed for nighttime wear can help support your forearm muscles and reduce pressure on inflamed elbow tendons. These braces prevent full muscle contraction during sleep, which can help those whose symptoms tend to worsen overnight. Additionally, specialized pillows or rolled towels can provide targeted support to maintain optimal elbow positioning throughout the night.
Contact Our Experienced Doctors Today So You Can Begin Healing Tomorrow
At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, we are tuned in to your particular needs. Our physiatry-based approach provides specialized knowledge and advanced treatment options that other regional facilities do not commonly offer, and our doctors’ specialized training gives them a deep understanding of your pain conditions and the available comprehensive treatment approaches. In other words, we address the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.
Our goal is to get you up and running and to keep you healthy, active, and pain-free. Don’t live with the pain and restrictions of elbow bursitis. Get in touch with us and begin moving in the right direction.