Overview

What is foot bursitis?

A bursa is a small, slick sac in your body full of fluid. Bursae are cushion and lubricating sacs, plural form of bursa, that prevent bone from rubbing or sliding against tendons, muscles, or skin.

There is a bursa in the back of both sides of your ankles directly behind the heel bone or calcaneus. It is situated between the heel bone and the Achilles tendon. This is called the retrocalcaneal (behind the heel) bursa.

Heel bursitis occurs when the bursa in your heel is irritated and becomes painful. This causes pain to the foot and heel.

What are the signs and symptoms of foot bursitis?

Some of the common symptoms of foot bursitis include:

Pain in or at the back of your heel
Tenderness especially when pressed.
Increased pain when standing on your toes
Your heel feels warm.
The color of the skin around your heel may change.

What are the causes of foot bursitis?

Foot bursitis has many causes

Standing, walking, running, or jumping.
Increasing the intensity of activities or workouts too rapidly.
Failure to stretch adequately.
Tight fitting shoes.
Infection.

What tests are conducted when one wants to diagnose foot bursitis?

Tests to diagnose foot bursitis:

Imaging tests enable your doctor to diagnose foot bursitis. Among them may include the following:
X-rays: This is one x-ray that gives a clear picture of the foot bone. Your doctor will look through the x-ray for any anomalies in the foot bone. They might affect your foot moves. If there is an anomaly or any other ailment, you will most likely develop heel bursitis.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI: This can be useful to help distinguish whether the pain in your heel is from something other than heel bursitis, such as Achilles tendinitis.

How is foot bursitis treated?

Treatment for foot bursitis depends on what is causing your pain. Treatment may include:

Orthotics: Heel wedges encourage good walking habits and reduce irritation in your foot. Heel wedges are widely available at most retail stores. Your healthcare provider can also create an individualized heel wedge for your foot.
Physical therapy: By gently stretching the Achilles tendon, you can also relieve pressure on the heel bursa. Some stretches you can do to help include calf stretches, toe-to-wall stretches and heel drop stretches. Strengthening exercises that engage the calf, ankle, and foot muscles will strengthen the Achilles tendon and surrounding tissues that may be exerting pressure on your bursa.
Corticosteroids: In some cases, it may be necessary for your healthcare provider to inject a corticosteroid into your foot. This will help to decrease inflammation.
Surgery: Surgery is only necessary in a few instances. After 6 to 12 months, if your pain hasn't improved, you should see a foot and ankle surgeon. They will remove the infected bursa surgically through a procedure known as bursectomy.
Antibiotics: Should an infection have caused your bursitis, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics.

How can I lower my risk of getting heel bursitis?

You can reduce your risk of getting heel bursitis if you:

Stretch before exercising and warm up
Exercise in appropriate shoes
Walk and run on softer surfaces. Avoid walking or running on hard surfaces, such as cement or asphalt. A rubber track or grass is easier on your body.

What can I expect if I get heel bursitis?

If the condition is diagnosed and adequately treated, the prognosis for a person diagnosed with foot bursitis is good. Most individuals begin to see improvement within two to three weeks of home treatment. Severe cases take anywhere from 6 to 12 months.