Synovial bursa - wikipedia Synovial bursa `` Bursae '' redirects here. For other uses, see Bursa ( disambiguation ). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2012 ) Synovial Bursa Typical joint Within the knee joint : bursae visible top right, middle right and bottom right Details Identifiers Latin bursa synovialis MeSH D002061 TA A03. 0.00. 039 TH H3. 03.00. 0.00039 FMA 9692 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) A bursa ( plural bursae or bursas ) is a small fluid - filled sac lined by synovial membrane with an inner capillary layer of viscous synovial fluid ( similar in consistency to that of a raw egg white ). It provides a cushion between bones and tendons and / or muscles around a joint. This helps to reduce friction between the bones and allows free movement. Bursae are found around most major joints of the body. Contents 1 Structure 2 Clinical significance 3 History 3.1 Etymology 4 See also 5 External links Structure There are four types of bursa : adventitious, subcutaneous, synovial, and sub-muscular. Among these, only adventitious is non-native. When any surface of the body is subjected to repeated stress, an adventitious bursa develops under it. Examples are Students ' elbow and bunion. Clinical significance Infection or irritation of a bursa leads to bursitis ( inflammation of a bursa ). The general term for disease of bursae is `` bursopathy. '' History Etymology Bursa is Medieval Latin for `` purse '', so named for the resemblance of an anatomical bursa to a purse. Bursae or bursas is its plural form. See also Bursa of Fabricius ( a lymphatic organ in birds ) Bursectomy Knee bursae External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Synovial bursae. Imaging of the Bursae via Pub Med https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3177464/ Bursa Diagram of elbow with olecranon bursa Joints Types Fibrous Gomphosis Suture Syndesmosis Interosseous membrane Cartilaginous Synchondrosis Symphysis synovial : Plane joint 1 ° Hinge joint Pivot joint 2 ° Condyloid joint Saddle joint 3 ° Ball and socket joint synostosis by range of motion : Synarthrosis Amphiarthrosis Diarthrosis Terminology Kinesiology Anatomical terms of motion Agonist / Antagonist Motions general : Flexion / Extension Adduction / Abduction Internal rotation / External rotation Elevation / Depression specialized / upper limbs : Protraction / Retraction Supination / Pronation specialized / lower limbs : Plantarflexion / Dorsiflexion Eversion / Inversion Components capsular : Joint capsule Synovial membrane Fibrous membrane Synovial fluid Synovial bursa Articular disk / Meniscus extracapsular : Ligament Enthesis Synovial bursa and tendon sheaths Synovial bursa Arm Subacromial bursa Olecranon bursa Leg Hip Trochanteric bursa Bursae of the knee joint Prepatellar bursa Tendon sheaths Arm Vincula tendina Synovial sheath Common flexor sheath of hand Mucous sheaths on back of wrist Leg Mucous sheaths of the tendons around the ankle Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Synovial_bursa&oldid=835436732 '' Categories : Synovial bursae Soft tissue Musculoskeletal system Hidden categories : Pages with unresolved properties Articles needing additional references from September 2012 All articles needing additional references Articles containing Latin - language text Commons category with local link different than on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Frysk Galego Italiano עברית Latina Nederlands Polski Português Русский Svenska Türkçe 粵語 10 more Edit links This page was last edited on 8 April 2018, at 18 : 19. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: the function of a bursa is to reduce friction
Answer: between the bones