Bursa

Bursa (city and province)

The city of Bursa lies south of the Sea of Marmara at the foot of Mount Uludağ. It was an early Ottoman capital and retains extensive medieval and early Ottoman architecture, including mosques, baths and covered bazaars. Bursa developed historically as a centre for silk production and textile manufacture and today combines industry, commerce, cultural tourism and mountain recreation such as skiing on Uludağ.

• Historical notes: founded in antiquity as Prusa and later became the first major Ottoman capital; parts of the city and surrounding villages are recognised for their historical importance.
• Culture and economy: historic bazaars, thermal baths, and a long tradition of textile and food production alongside modern manufacturing.

Anatomical bursa

In human anatomy a bursa is a thin sac lined by a synovial membrane and containing a small amount of lubricating fluid. Bursae are located where skin, tendon, muscle or ligament glide over bone or other structures, and they lessen friction and distribute pressure during movement. Examples include the subacromial bursa in the shoulder, the prepatellar bursa over the kneecap and the olecranon bursa at the elbow.

• Function: facilitate smooth motion and protect tissues from repetitive stress.
• Clinical aspects: bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, often from overuse, trauma or infection; treatment ranges from rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication to physiotherapy, aspiration or, when infected, antibiotics.

Other uses and etymology

The Latin root meaning "purse" or "bag" gave rise to several related terms. In finance and some languages the cognate names denote a stock exchange or market; in biology the name is applied to taxa such as a genus of sea snails. In Christian liturgy a bursa is a flat pouch used to hold a corporal. Context usually clarifies which sense is intended when the single word "bursa" appears in writing or speech.