Pain at the back of your heel, visible swelling, and stiff-backed shoes you can no longer wear? That is the typical picture of heel bursitis \u2014 an inflammation often confused with Achilles tendinitis or plantar fasciitis, yet treated differently. Which is exactly why an accurate diagnosis matters.<\/p>\n
Your heel has two bursae \u2014 small fluid cushions that reduce friction: the retrocalcaneal bursa, between the heel bone and the Achilles tendon, and a superficial bursa between the tendon and the skin. When either becomes irritated through friction, pressure or overload, pain appears at the back of the heel, often with visible swelling.<\/p>\n
Pain at the back of the heel, worse with walking, running or climbing; local swelling and redness; tenderness to pressure; pain when wearing shoes with a rigid heel counter; and morning stiffness around the Achilles tendon.<\/p>\n
Repeated friction from rigid or ill-fitting footwear, sudden increases in running or walking volume, a short and stiff Achilles tendon, a Haglund deformity (bony prominence of the heel), inefficient gait mechanics and \u2014 less commonly \u2014 systemic inflammatory conditions.<\/p>\n
Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Heel bursitis responds well to conservative care: reducing pressure and friction, releasing the Achilles chain, and correcting the mechanical cause. Surgery is considered only in chronic cases with significant bony deformity.<\/p>\n
After assessing your heel, Achilles tendon and gait, your plan may include manual therapy and stretching for the posterior chain, dry needling for calf trigger points, progressive loading exercises, and footwear and training adjustments. We clearly differentiate bursitis from Achilles tendinopathy and other causes of posterior heel pain, so treatment targets exactly the right structure.<\/p>\n
Recent cases usually settle in 2\u20134 weeks. Chronic bursitis \u2014 especially with a Haglund deformity or a stiff Achilles \u2014 may need 6\u20138 weeks of a complete programme.<\/p>\n
If pain at the back of your heel persists, the swelling is growing, or comfortable shoes are getting hard to find \u2014 book an assessment. Your first assessment at Medicine Park is free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pain and swelling at the back of your heel, aggravated by shoes? Heel bursitis is treatable without surgery \u2014 accurate diagnosis matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"regiune":[5],"class_list":["post-81","afectiuni","type-afectiuni","status-publish","hentry","regiune-ankle-foot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/afectiuni\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/afectiuni"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/afectiuni"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/afectiuni\/81\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101,"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/afectiuni\/81\/revisions\/101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"regiune","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicinepark.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/regiune?post=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}