Alternative Names
Insertional heel pain
Definition of Retrocalcaneal bursitis
Retrocalcaneal bursitis is swelling (inflammation) of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus) under the Achilles tendon.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
A bursa acts as a cushion and lubricant between tendons and muscles sliding over bone. There are bursas around most large joints in the body, including the ankle.
Signs and tests
Your health care provider will take a history to find out if you have symptoms of retrocalcaneal bursitis. Examining your ankle can find the location of the pain. The physician will look for tenderness and redness in the back of the heel.
Treatment
Your health care provider may recommend the following treatments:
Expectations (prognosis)
This condition usually gets better in several weeks with the proper treatment.
Review
C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 10/31/2010
