Calcaneal Bumps - Common Foot Injuries and Cures

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A bony protuberance behind your heel is called a calcaneal bump. Most often associated with a high-arched foot, the bony prominence pushes into the back heel counter of your shoe. Both the tendon and the soft tissues can become inflamed and painful when this occurs.

Causes

If you have a high-arched foot, the heel bone (calcaneus) can change alignment, and this causes an enlargement of the bone at the back of your heel. Sometimes your body will create a bursa, which is a sac of fluid that protects your tendon and other soft tissues. When you're wearing shoes, this bursa gets pushed up against the heel counter and becomes painful.

Treatment

Try cutting away the heel area of your shoes to minimize pressure against the protuberance. Or cut a doughnut shape from a piece of moleskin to place around the bump. If these methods don't work, see a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon, who may inject the bursa with cortisone to reduce the inflammation. In severe cases, surgery may be required to shave off the bone spur so that you can go back to your normal activities without pain.

Prevention

If you have a high-arched foot, wear a well-cushioned shoe that does not have an overly firm heel counter.

Can you run with it?

It depends on the severity of the inflammation and pain.

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