...less medical jargon in a 'Quick Glance' format!
Calcaneal Bursitisis a very painful, long term injury that can persist for years unless treatment is properly addressed. Anyone who has had one will tell you that they are incredibly painful and very slow to heal.
A bursa is a closed, fluid-filled sac whose functions is to cushion and provide a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. The major bursae (bursae is plural for bursa) are located adjacent to tendons near large joints, such as in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, though there are hundreds of them throughout the body. When the bursa becomes inflamed, the condition is known as bursitis. Once bursae become irritated or inflamed, recovery is a surprisingly long process requiring a change in activity over a half a year or more to allow the bursa to heal. It can be next to impossible at times to keep from re-injuring the bursa because it's just not possible to stop everything and rest the injury properly. Everyone has demands that make them keep going and in the process a bursitis injury can be prevented from healing. What ends up happening is we continually swell the bursa due to daily activities.
SYMPTOMS:
Deep discomfort under the heel while walking, running or at rest.
Redness
Tenderness
Increased heat
CAUSES:
This condition is usually caused by friction from ill fitting shoes and is common in women who wear high-heeled shoes. Running, jogging, fast walking or prolonged standing worsens the condition. Obesity also exacerbates the problem. The bursa is usually visibly inflamed and filled with fluid. It is most noticed where the upper margin of the shoe rubs and tenderness and swelling are readily detected.
TREATMENT:
Treatment begins with properly fitted shoes with moderately low heels. Moleskin placed over the skin can help until inflammation diminishes which can take quite awhile. Puncturing the bursa to drain fluid should never be part of a home remedy. If drainage is to be done it should be by a physician using needle aspiration. Therapy includes ice, massage, antiinflammatory medication (such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin), and orthotics featuring a soft heel pad or heel cup.
