Calcaneal bursitis: Anyone had it? How do I treat it?

The problem with this injury is that most "treatments" deal with the symptoms and not the cause.

History:

Spring 2000-intense calf pain and tightness due to too much intensity combined with very high mileage resulted in heel pain.

Summer/Fall 2000-took a month off, trained and raced through increasing pain.

Winter/Spring 2001-took 1 month off, trained and raced through it again. Still pain and calf tightness.

Summer 2001-took 3 months off. Back into training very slowly. Eventually went away. Horrible fall racing. Marathon PR by the spring of 2002.

What you need to do is first reduce the inflammation with multi-daily icing and ibruprofen (3-4 x 800mg a day). Then you need to work on the flexibility and strength of the calf. That's where the problem is. Your calf is too weak and/or inflexible.

Calf Stretches: The usual straight leg stretch for 30-60 seconds 2-3 times or more a day. Also the bent knee stretch for 30-60 seconds 2-3 or more times a day will target the soleus.

Calf Exercises: 1. Eccentric calf raise-Calf raise with bent knee is more running specific than straight knee calf raise. 2. Eccentric knee reach-Face wall on one leg, bend knee and reach toward wall, bend knee and reach toward the left, bend knee and reach toward the right, repeat 10-30 times. Go here:

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0125b.htm

I think my calcaneal bursitis came on due to an inflamed achilles tendon, which I really didn't let heal. I'll never know what brought that on, but one guess is broken down road racing flats. I'm a supinator and I rocked over, and that rocking stretched the achilles in a negative manner. I think it inflamed the bursa. I also was twisting my ankle trying to do trail running, and I think that repeated action also brought on chronic inflammation.

The bursitis complication seemed to come out of no where, and it felt like a nail piercing the heel bursa after about a mile of running. I tried to run through it but it became impossible. I had physical therapy and cortisone shots. I put in a heel lift, and reduced running and still limped around while walking and running. I took pain killers, and soaked my foot in hot water, and massaged the area. Finally, I had to stop running. period. It was the first time in my running life something didn't heal after 2 weeks of laying off, or allowing healing time. It was a shocker. You have to use your feet, running or not, so it's always hard to allow healing completely.

So, I got a bike, put on clipless pedals against my better judgement and decided to cross train my way to fitness while the bursitis healed.

I ended up getting my feet caught in the pedals, crashed the bike, landed on my arm and wrist and broke several bones in my wrist. The break was so severe I had to have surgery, and an external fixator was drilled into my bones. I lost total use of my right hand for about 3 months, and endured a year of PT to restore use of my wrist/hand actions. The post-surgery period for the fixator was the most painful thing I've ever felt. Just incredible! The physical and mental toll of recovering, coping with the fixator, going to PT daily and restoring function took every ounce of strength I had. No running for months and months. Even if I could have run, I didn't have the energy. Severe pain in one region takes away your focus on another region. Bursitis, what bursitis? My wrist is killing me.

The pain and recovery was so hard, I forgot about the bursitis. I walked around, but didn't run at all for months and months. My heart wasn't in any of it. But by the time I had recovered from the wrist accident, and wanted to try and run again, the bursitis had healed. I could run again, and starting over was a small price to pay. My fitness level was a big zero, though, and it took years to get back the rhythm.

It will take a long time to get rid of the bursitis. I've known others with similar problems. Cross train, and stay away from clipless pedals.

I live in fear it will return, so I'm very careful and use minor heal lifts or pads. Stay away from road flats, have cushioned shoes that don't pinch the achilles area and quit trail running if you have weak ankles. Exercise your achilles with proper stretching. It's been gone almost 10 years, and I'm thankful to God I can run again. Good luck

I am getting better, thanks to all the help on these boards. I have had bad pain in the back of my heel for about a year now. I also have had achilles problems but it seems to be healing. Yes, I have been resting but more importantly I have been using a very good product that I recommend to anyone with any kind of joint tendonitis. It is called blue-emu. It is a creme that lubricates joints . If it used along with massage, ice, advil and rest it can do wonders. Just wanted to let you guys know since it has helped me greatly. You can research it here, www.emubenefit.com

Hi there,

I was just wondering if you ended up going through with the cortisone shot and if so, how it worked. I have been dealing with achilles bursitis for months, have been immobilized in a walking boot for 7 weeks and on anti-inflammatories for what seems like forever. I feel so out of shape it's depressing!

Also, what is bio-freeze and how does that work?

Thanks a lot.

I actually never went through with it! My doc said it was just not worth the risk. I ended up getting an mri and found that I had a partial tear! I am now in a cast and resting it that way.

How long will you be in the cast for? Is it a cast or walking boot?

I ordered some of the Blue Emu you recommended - do you really think it helps?