What is bursitis?

What is bursitis?

• A. Inflammation of the fluid sac between a tendon and skin or bone
• B. Infection of the sebaceous gland
• C. Fracture of a small bone
• D. Degeneration of cartilage in a joint

Answer: (A)

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that cushions tissues like tendons as they slide over bones. The described statement matches this idea because it specifies inflammation of the fluid sac between a tendon and skin or bone, which is exactly what a bursa is. When a bursa becomes irritated or overused, it swells and hurts, especially with movement or pressure near a joint. This condition commonly affects areas like the shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee. The other options describe different problems—skin/gland infection, a broken bone, or cartilage degeneration—so they don’t fit bursitis.

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that cushions tissues like tendons as they slide over bones. The described statement matches this idea because it specifies inflammation of the fluid sac between a tendon and skin or bone, which is exactly what a bursa is. When a bursa becomes irritated or overused, it swells and hurts, especially with movement or pressure near a joint. This condition commonly affects areas like the shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee. The other options describe different problems—skin/gland infection, a broken bone, or cartilage degeneration—so they don’t fit bursitis.