hello, i have bursitis, tried every possible treatment but it did not get better, so i have to have a surgery. i am basketball player... i met with a surgeon and he said the way he would have to get out the bursa and reshape the heel bone, but the way he would do it is to make a longitudinal cut on my achilles. so he could get to the bone... is this a normal approach to the problem? my achilles is healthy and i do not want to make any cuts on it... please help! thank you
Unfortunately, if the bone has to be remodeled, a cut usually has to be made in the tendon. Unless the bone spur is above the tendon attachment point where the surgeon can get at it from the side where the tendon is off the bone, the Achilles has to be split to reach any bone spurring directly under its attachment point. That being said, if one simply has Achilles bursits, surgery CAN be performed while approaching it from the side without violating the tendon......
.....however, this technique makes it difficult to effectively remove the bursa due to limited visibility, and frankly it is more common to see this condition with an associated heel bone problem like a calcified spur that needs addressing anyway if nonsurgical measures do not relieve the condition.
@thevideofootdoc in case the cut is made on my achilles, do you think it can have any long term negative affects on the tendon? how big should the cut be (half an inch or so?) because as i said i am a basketball player so the tendon will be probably over-used in the future again ,so do you think it can cause any specific problems later based on healing process?
The cut is as big as the surgeon needs, the tissue heals from side to side and not end to end, so the length of the cut makes no difference. If you are relatively young and healthy, it should heal fine and not be an issue in the long term. Scar tissue can form, but a good physical therapy program after the surgery can limit this.
I had an xray done and the image looked exactly like a Haglund's deformity, but I do not feel any pain, just a numbness to the touch and the sports injury doctor could not give a diagnostic. Would you think that it is Haglund's deformity?
There may be a Haglund's deformity, but it may not be the actual cause of your numbness as this does not typically irritate the more superficial nerves in the region, and if it did there would more likely be pain present. Something else may be causing your symptoms.
DR, how can i tell the difference between heel gout and haglund? i have a throbbing pain on that little bump that is ultra sensitive to the touch. much like gout.
Gout is unusual behind the heel. It requires a joint for the disease to develop, and it is unusual for the back of the ankle to become involved enough for you to 'feel' it in the heel. Gout is also red hot and very swollen. See a foot specialist if you continue to have problems for a specific diagnosis.
im pretty sure i have this and im in PAIN!!! it is throbbing like someone is hitting with a hammer. i never had it this bad...im glad that i just loss 26 lbs in the last 2 weeks. thats at least some pressure taken away.
That would certainly relieve pressure to the back of the heel if the shoe has a low enough elastic backing, but it also invites a whole group of other problems depending on your age, foot stability, anticipated running surface, and experience with barefoot running. I personally do not advocate barefoot running for the most part, although there are people who can benefit from this style.
once you have this deformity and the heel become regularly inflamed does this mean it is a permanent condition that I am going to have to live dealing with? so far it hasnt noticeablely affected my achilles tendon but the skin over the bump get irritated if i try to run in shoes. I am an athlete and I find that the bump flares up at times and causes a nagging pain that prevents me from being able to run quickly. is this something that can be overcome with rest or is it permanent?
The bump will not go away, although soft tissue inflammation over it may wax and wane at times. Rest can decrease this inflammation, but you may have still have regular flares periodically. Sometimes the flares stay and become chronic, and require surgical treatment.
I just got this diagnosis today and my doctor is going to perform the FAST procedure. He said it's a new procedure and just 2 incisions are required.
ntlkdl 1 month ago
hello, i have bursitis, tried every possible treatment but it did not get better, so i have to have a surgery. i am basketball player... i met with a surgeon and he said the way he would have to get out the bursa and reshape the heel bone, but the way he would do it is to make a longitudinal cut on my achilles. so he could get to the bone... is this a normal approach to the problem? my achilles is healthy and i do not want to make any cuts on it... please help! thank you
peplajso 1 month ago
@peplajso
Unfortunately, if the bone has to be remodeled, a cut usually has to be made in the tendon. Unless the bone spur is above the tendon attachment point where the surgeon can get at it from the side where the tendon is off the bone, the Achilles has to be split to reach any bone spurring directly under its attachment point. That being said, if one simply has Achilles bursits, surgery CAN be performed while approaching it from the side without violating the tendon......
thevideofootdoc 1 month ago
@peplajso
.....however, this technique makes it difficult to effectively remove the bursa due to limited visibility, and frankly it is more common to see this condition with an associated heel bone problem like a calcified spur that needs addressing anyway if nonsurgical measures do not relieve the condition.
thevideofootdoc 1 month ago
@thevideofootdoc in case the cut is made on my achilles, do you think it can have any long term negative affects on the tendon? how big should the cut be (half an inch or so?) because as i said i am a basketball player so the tendon will be probably over-used in the future again ,so do you think it can cause any specific problems later based on healing process?
peplajso 1 month ago
@peplajso
The cut is as big as the surgeon needs, the tissue heals from side to side and not end to end, so the length of the cut makes no difference. If you are relatively young and healthy, it should heal fine and not be an issue in the long term. Scar tissue can form, but a good physical therapy program after the surgery can limit this.
thevideofootdoc 1 month ago
Dear Dr,
I had an xray done and the image looked exactly like a Haglund's deformity, but I do not feel any pain, just a numbness to the touch and the sports injury doctor could not give a diagnostic. Would you think that it is Haglund's deformity?
coolgal185 5 months ago
@coolgal185
There may be a Haglund's deformity, but it may not be the actual cause of your numbness as this does not typically irritate the more superficial nerves in the region, and if it did there would more likely be pain present. Something else may be causing your symptoms.
thevideofootdoc 4 months ago
DR, how can i tell the difference between heel gout and haglund? i have a throbbing pain on that little bump that is ultra sensitive to the touch. much like gout.
JPSovereignStrikes 6 months ago
@JPSovereignStrikes
Gout is unusual behind the heel. It requires a joint for the disease to develop, and it is unusual for the back of the ankle to become involved enough for you to 'feel' it in the heel. Gout is also red hot and very swollen. See a foot specialist if you continue to have problems for a specific diagnosis.
thevideofootdoc 5 months ago
im pretty sure i have this and im in PAIN!!! it is throbbing like someone is hitting with a hammer. i never had it this bad...im glad that i just loss 26 lbs in the last 2 weeks. thats at least some pressure taken away.
JPSovereignStrikes 6 months ago
What about barefoot running? I've been thinking of trying it, with a barefoot type running shoe. Would that make any difference?
0ion 8 months ago
@0ion
That would certainly relieve pressure to the back of the heel if the shoe has a low enough elastic backing, but it also invites a whole group of other problems depending on your age, foot stability, anticipated running surface, and experience with barefoot running. I personally do not advocate barefoot running for the most part, although there are people who can benefit from this style.
thevideofootdoc 7 months ago
Dear Dr,
once you have this deformity and the heel become regularly inflamed does this mean it is a permanent condition that I am going to have to live dealing with? so far it hasnt noticeablely affected my achilles tendon but the skin over the bump get irritated if i try to run in shoes. I am an athlete and I find that the bump flares up at times and causes a nagging pain that prevents me from being able to run quickly. is this something that can be overcome with rest or is it permanent?
junmangi990 8 months ago
@junmangi990
The bump will not go away, although soft tissue inflammation over it may wax and wane at times. Rest can decrease this inflammation, but you may have still have regular flares periodically. Sometimes the flares stay and become chronic, and require surgical treatment.
thevideofootdoc 8 months ago
i have haglunds (:
chanelakacc1 10 months ago