Retrocalcaneal Bursitis

Know the Basics of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis: Its Signs, Causes, and Treatments 

If you are suffering from unbearable retrocalcaneal bursitis pain, from which you can’t even walk properly, this is the right page for you.  

The bursa around the heel is mainly responsible for heel pain, which is also known as retrocalcaneal bursitis. However, you will feel pain when the bursa (sac-like structure lined by a lean layer of synovial fluid, which functions to lower the friction between surfaces) gets loaded with inflammatory fluid, resulting in heel bursitis.  The bursa area is between the anterior and the calcaneum on the Achilles tendon surface. Moreover, you will find two bursae in this specific area, one in the retrocalcaneal bursa and the other in the sub-tendinous of the Achilles Tendon. Nevertheless, on this page, we will discuss the retrocalcaneal bursitis symptoms, causes, its imperative treatments, and more. So, let’s get started with the write-up.  

A Brief Overview of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis 

Retrocalcaneal bursitis occurs when the bursae near your heel become inflamed. Therefore, these are fluid-filled sacs that develop around your heel bone joints. Likewise, the bursae around your heels are after your Achilles tendon, right above where it connects to your heel bones. The primary causes of retrocalcaneal bursitis are avoiding walking, jumping, running, or doing activities related to it. It is common in sportspeople, especially runners and ballet dancers. Sometimes, even doctors misdiagnose it as Achilles tendonitis, but the two circumstances can happen at the same time.   

Significant Signs and Symptoms of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis 

The primary indications of retrocalcaneal bursitis are extreme pain in the heel. Thus, you may feel pain when you put even a little pressure on your heel. Further, other significant signs of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis are mentioned below:  

  1. Pain at the back of the hill while walking or running uphill.
  2. Standing on your toes tends to make pain worse.
  3. Palpation tenderness at the back of the heel.
  4. Unbearable Pain and swelling/bump in or behind the heel area
  5. Worsening pain with standing on toes
  6. Heat in and around your heel
  7. Discoloration around your heel
  8. Leaning back on your heels causes pain
  9. Pain in the calf muscles during walking and running
  10. Red or warm color on the back of the heel
  11. Loss of motion
  12. A crackling feeling on flexing the foot
  13. Shoes are becoming painful
  14. Stiffness in the heel muscles

What are the Imperative Causes of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis?  

One of the most common causes of retrocalcaneal bursitis is overexposing the heel and ankle area. Additionally, not warming up appropriately before exercising or a certain increase in physical exercise can lead to retrocalcaneal bursitis. However, there are other crucial causes that you must know:  

  1. Jumping a lot, walking, standing, or extreme physical exercise
  2. Tight-fitting Shoes
  3. Bacterial Infection
  4. Not Appropriately Stretching
  5. Increasing the intensity of your workouts or activities 

Other major possible causes that you must be aware of are:

  1. Gout
  2. Haglund’s Deformity

Moreover, you might be at high risk of causing retrocalcaneal bursitis if you:

1. Age is above 65 years old 

  1. Frequently participate in high-activity sports
  2. Do not stretch accurately before exercising 
  3. Have Stiff muscles
  4. Have  a job that requires frequent stress and movement of the joints

Crucial Risk Factors of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis 

Retrocalcaneal bursitis most often affects individuals who overexpose their joints without considering accurate conditioning. That is why a sudden fast pace in walking, jumping, or running can cause retrocalcaneal bursitis. Hence, it is imperative to wear the right footwear, especially when practicing an exercise or sports activity. Excessively wearing tight-fitting shoes can cause it without even noticing. It can also impact those who have other disorders. To know the precise name of them, read the following pointers:  

  1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
  2. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
  3. Psoriatic Arthritis
  4. Gout
  5. Pseudogout
  6. Haglund’s Deformity
  7. Reiter’s Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis)

How Doctors Diagnose Retrocalcaneal Bursitis?  

Your healthcare doctor will ask you several questions before examining your foot. Therefore, it includes:  

  1. Are you standing a lot these days?
  2. What are the things you do for physical activity?
  3. What types of footwear do you wear? 
  4. Have you ever had retrocalcaneal bursitis before?

After all these countless questions, these are the things your doctor will examine:  

  1. Examine any painful or tender areas
  2. Check for the foot’s motion range 
  3. Might ask you to bend your feet or stand straight on your toes
  4. Check for swelling or stiffness 

If the doctor finds that you have a bacterial infection, they might give you some helpful bits of advice. They are:  

  1. Check your temperature often
  2. Ask if you have chills, and if they occur frequently
  3. Test the fluid for any bacterial presence
  4. With a syringe, the doctor removes some fluid from the retrocalcaneal bursa

Treatment of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis 

Retrocalcaneal Bursitis treatment relies on what is causing you immense pain. Therefore, you might be able to reduce pain and inflammation on your hands with these simple home remedy treatments that are mentioned below: 

1. Rest

Prevent or avoid such activities that cause or worsen the heel pain, including jumping, running, and walking. It will give the retrocalcaneal bursitis time to recover.  

2. Ice

Apply an ice pack or put some ice in a light towel and fold it properly, then place it on your heel and ankle for up to 20 minutes. Also, repeat this process at least 3 to 4 times in a day.  

3. Proper Footwear

Do not wear footwear that has a stiff heel or is too tight. Wear footwear with a V-shaped or U-shaped indentation in the back collar to secure your Achilles tendon.  

4. Medications

Over-the-counter NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications), like naproxen and ibuprofen, might ease the heel’s inflammation and pain.  

So, these are some home remedies that you have gone through. Furthermore, here are some vital ways your healthcare doctor might treat your retrocalcaneal bursitis:  

1. Physical Therapy

Stretching your Achilles tendon will ease the pressure from your heel bursa. Calf stretch, toe-to-wall stretch, and heel drop stretch, strengthening as well, can bring relief. 

2. Orthotics

Heel wedges promote good walking posture and minimize irritation to your heel. You can purchase heel wedges at a store. Your podiatrist can also advise you to wear custom heel wedges for your foot. 

 3. Antibiotics

If you had an infection that caused the bursitis, your healthcare provider will give you oral antibiotics. 

4. Bursa injections

Very infrequently, your healthcare provider will give you a steroid injection in your heel. This will reduce swelling. 

5. Surgery

Surgery is only needed occasionally. But if after six to 12 months, your pain hasn’t gotten better, you might need to see a foot and ankle surgeon to have the infected bursa surgically removed (bursectomy).

How to Prevent the Risk of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis? 

Here are the top three major ways to reduce the risk of retrocalcaneal bursitis that you must know:  

  1. Avoid running and walking on a rocky surface 
  2. Avoid wearing uncomfortable footwear when exercising 
  3. Avoid going for direct to the exercising part, do consider warming up and stretching before it. 

Wrapping It Up!  

We hope this page has provided you with all the key knowledge on retrocalcaneal bursitis. However, if you are still searching for the best retrocalcaneal bursitis or gout treatment centre near me, look no further than Kush Orthopedic & Health Centre. We have a team of experienced and skilled working professionals who are all set to provide top-notch medical assistance. With our advanced cutting-edge treatment options, we will make sure to cover all areas of treatment according to the patient’s needs and requirements. Whether you want consultation or diagnosis, we are here to provide everything under one roof. So, do not waste another minute thinking which healthcare centre to choose for your retrocalcaneal bursitis. It might be a danger factor for your health. Call us today and get the best medical assistance from top doctors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) & Physiotherapy have been proven to treat retrocalcaneal bursitis very effectively. With this, the majority have reacted well to therapy. The therapy can be administered in two to three sessions.

Stretching and strengthening the calf muscles is a staple of bursitis treatment. Calf stretching exercises are done to reduce pain and inflammation of the heel and arch of the foot.

Retrocalcaneal bursitis physical therapy includes the utilization of non-invasive physical therapy interventions to alleviate pain and minimize the risk of chronic or repetitive pain between the heel bone and the Achilles tendon.