I developed heel pain 8 weeks ago which prevented me from running. I managed to see a sports doctor 2 weeks after the onset of pain who did an ultrasound scan, diagnosed it as retrocalcaneal bursitis and gave me a cortisone shot into the bursa. The pain died down over the next 1.5 weeks but was still there. Upon follow up with my doctor, he decided to order an MRI scan to rule out a calcaneal stress fracture because I was still feeling quite sore and tender when he pressed my heel bone. I got the MRI done 6+ weeks after the onset of the pain. I had done no running at all during this time but I did not think it was a calcaneal / heel bone stress fracture and so I had been doing heavy lower body weights, spinning classes and using the elliptical with no pain whatsoever. Unfortunately the MRI did show a significant high grade calcaneal stress fracture but by this time I was already able to walk pain-free. The doctor said that the bursitis was clearly at the superior aspect of the stress fracture and was probably secondary to the stress fracture all along.
Given that I only found out it was a stress fracture about 1.5 weeks ago, and I had been weight-bearing normally throughout the entire time, I have a few questions:
- Do you think the cortisone shot is actually masking the pain in my heel? The stress fracture is apparently quite big so I am puzzled as to why I was able to do heavy weights and use the elliptical without significant pain.
- Will the cortisone shot significantly delay bone healing?
- Do you think all the cross-training and weight-bearing I did over the past 2 months will have delayed the recovery?
- Is it safe to continue to use the elliptical and going for spinning classes (including standing on the bike) as a method of cross training?
I know I am supposed to use pain as my guide, and I don't feel significant pain while doing these activities, but I am just very worried of further impeding healing and protracting my recovery time. Also very worried that the cortisone shot I initially got for the bursitis is masking the pain (even though the shot was directly into the bursa under ultrasound guidance - I'm not sure if this would reduce pain in the entire heel area?)
Would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this.