Achilles Bursitis Causes

Improper Foot Wear

Tight shoes or shoes that do not fit properly can cause extra pressure and friction on the back of the heel. Overtime, this pressure causes irritation of the bursae that protect the Achilles tendon causing one or both to swell and become inflamed. Pain at the back of the heel makes it difficult to continue wearing shoes, especially high heels with straps or shoes that don't fit properly.

Haglund's Syndrome

Haglund's Deformity refers to an enlarged boney protrusion on the upper, back part of the heel bone. It is caused by calcification of the heel bone due to the inflammation of Haglund's Syndrome, a combination of Achilles tendinitis and Achilles bursitis. The boney protrusion causes further irritation to the retrocalcaneal bursa and Achilles tendon as it presses them between the protrusion and your shoes. This increased irritation than causes Haglund's Syndrome to become worse. Due to similar symptoms and the location in the Achilles tendon area, Haglund's Syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed as Achilles tendonitis.

Overtraining

Athletes who overtrain or runners that increase their distance to quickly are at greater risk of experiencing Achilles bursitis. With over use, the Achilles bursae and tendon can become irritated and inflamed leading to thickening of the bursae lining and wearing of the tendon. Fluid builds in the bursa when it becomes irritated causing swelling of the Achilles bursa and pain at the back of the heel.

It is important to treat bursitis in the early stages to reduce the symptoms, minimize damage and maintain motion and strength in your foot. Resting your ankle, using proper cushioning, wearing comfortable footwear and reducing any activities that add pressure on your bursa will help to reduce your pain and bursitis inflammation. By treating your Achilles bursitis in the early stages with a Cold Compress or Ice Pack and a TShellz Wrap after swelling has reduced, you are more likely to prevent long-term damage and chronic conditions from setting in.

Achilles Bursitis Treatments

Relieving the symptoms of bursitis initially focuses on taking the pressure off the bursa. This can be done with proper cushioning, inserts, or footwear but may require surgery if it is a bone formation problem (i.e. Haglund's Deformity). If your bursitis is caused by an infection (septic bursitis), the doctor will probably drain the bursa sac with a needle and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

For non-infectious bursitis, the preliminary treatment starts with non-operative conservative treatment options such as cold compression and the use of an Achilles TShellz Wrap^® once swelling has reduced. Surgery to remove the inflamed bursa is normally not required for bursitis, however if you fail to see improvement with the conservative treatments, your physician may recommend surgery to remove the bursa completely. Although this removes the problem of an inflamed bursa, you are left with less cushioning at the back of your heel which can lead to a host of other conditions.

The most important factor in healing achilles bursitis is resting your foot and ankle. This can be difficult when you have to carry on with daily activities, but resting and elevating your foot whenever you can is recommended. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that stress your bursa until your pain and inflammation settle.

Treatments should involve decreasing swelling, relieving pain and stress on the Achilles, correcting any bio-mechanical dysfunction (over-pronation or flat feet), treating scar tissue, and then restoring strength and movement. If you are performing an activity that could cause further trauma to the bursa, it is recommended that you protect the area with padding and/or proper footwear to prevent further irritation or damage.

Cold

The R.C.C.E. Treatment Philosophy

This treatment philosophy is used to decrease inflammation and relieve pain of bursitis quickly when it is inflamed and painful.

• Rest and limit your activity, to decrease swelling and minimize further inflammation in the subcutaneous calcaneal bursa and/or retrocalcaneal bursa.
• Cool the back of your heel to help reduce blood flow and fluid build up.
• Compress the area if possible by adding light pressure to minimize swelling (make sure it is snug, but not too tight as it could cause numbness, tingling or more pain).
• Elevate your foot to relieve the pressure from swelling and allow fluid to drain from your injured ankle.

Applying cold to your inflamed bursa will help decrease the swelling and redness around it. Cold compression will also help to numb the pain in your heel and help to control the inflammation.

Cooling the subcutaneous calcaneal bursa and/or retrocalcaneal bursa as needed throughout the day, for approximately 15 - 20 minutes at a time, is recommended. Applying cold to your tender retrocalcaneal bursa and subcutaneous calcaneal bursae is the first step in treating your bursitis. Next you can begin using the Ankle TShellz Wrap .

TShellz Wrap Circulation Boost

Once the inflammation of your bursitis has been reduced with cold it is time to improve blood flow and improve the elasticity of your surrounding soft tissue. Your body needs a fresh supply of blood to improve the health of your tissue and get your bursae, plantar fascia, and/or Achilles tendon back to normal.

Unfortunately, when you are suffering from bursitis it is painful to walk and move your ankle normally. When you limit movement in your foot the blood flow is reduced, starving your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients. The trick is to find a way to increase blood flow without causing pain and/or further inflaming the bursae. This is where Circulation Boost (Circulatory Boost) becomes a powerful tool.

The energy emitted from the Energy Pad stimulates blood flow to your foot, more than your body would ever be able to generate on it's own, giving your body the boost it needs to continue the reconditioning process.

The healing energy reaches deep into your bursae, tendons, ligaments, and fascia to speed tissue repair, whisk away the toxins and dead tissue, and rejuvenate your ankle tissues for improved elasticity.

With these easy home therapies, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your Achilles pain and ankle range of motion.

During your recovery, you may have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your Achilles and heel until your pain and inflammation settle, and you gain more mobility and strength. The more diligent you are with your rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results.

Product Advisors are available 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time Monday to Friday.

I want to learn more about Post-Surgery Recovery

I want to learn more about TShellz Wrap^® Circulatory Boost

I want to learn more about Ice & Heat: Which Is Better For Treatment?

I want to learn more about Bursitis Treatments

I want to learn more about Bursitis Surgery

During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort at the location of your soft tissue injury until the pain and inflammation settle. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!