Retrocalcaneal Bursitis

[rainbowgirl28]

Has anyone here ever had this?

I developed it a few weeks ago. It's an inflammation of the bursa (little fluid filled sac) that is near the attachment of the achilles tendon into the calcaneus (heel bone). It's in my takeoff foot.

If it doesn't get better soon I am thinking about getting a cortisone shot. I am retiring from pole vaulting in about 2 months and I really just need to get through this season.

[ashcraftpv]

If you're looking to just make it through the rest of the season, you might try using DMSO on the affected area. Its a topical anti-inflammatory, but its not approved by the FDA for that use. You can get it in health food stores and in tack shops (since its used on horses).

one thing to be very careful about with DMSO is to make sure the area you apply it to is clean, as DMSO absorbs completly into the skin and will disolve and carry with it anything it comes in contact with (like crushed ibuprofen..hint, hint)

I'm not saying that anyone should do this, as I'm not a doctor, but i've known a couple poeple who have used it successfully to cope with some minor inflammations without having to undergo a cortisone injection

[OUvaulterUSAF]

I had an inflammed bursa in my elbow back in Dec/Jan. It was from landing on a broken pit. I would stick my elbows into the pit upon landing to prevent my head from hitting the mat and causing whiplash.

This probably sounds gross but at first I thought it was some sort of cyst and I smacked it against a table. It drained on it's own that night but came back with a vengance the next day. Looked like I had a golfball growing out of my elbow. The inflammation itself didn't cause me any pain or any loss of function.

I saw a doctor and he said as a last resort he'd drain it and give me a cortizone shot. Instead he prescribed naproxen. Took about 2 months to go down. I still have some weird stuff floating around in the elbow but it looks normal. I started landing spread eagle on my back to keep the impact away from my elbow.

Not sure how you'll stay off your heel.

[souleman]

Well little one? The old man here has it in his hip. It's just something that old people get and I've got it. Since I've been in the gym 3 days a week for the last 4 months, it actually has bothered me less. When I first got it several years ago I had it shot several times and the relief is instant. I could usually go 6 to 8 months on 1 injection before I'd want another. Cortisone is something that I haven't been able to get a straight answer on. Whether it's ok or it's bad for you (stays in the system a longtime and doesn't really absorb). I've been told that if you're getting shot every 2 or 3 months over a long period of time that can be bad for you. IMHO, if you got it done you'd be good to go for the rest of the season and into the summer fun meets. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Later...........Mike

[Robert schmitt]

My guess is you are heel striking at your take off. Your heel bone is the Calcaneous. Look at your track spikes is there any heel wear? is it worse on you take off shoe? Is the wear on the lateral aspect of the shoe or is it centered (worn evenly accros the heel)? If it is lateral you are Inverting(supinating) the calcaneous at your take off and stressing the heck out of everything that attaches to it including the achilles.

[vaultmd]

I'm sure there are some who know more about this than me, but I think DMSO is a solvent ONLY and gets the DMSO effect everyone keeps referring to by carrying things with it, like crushed tabs, steroids, etc.

Hey! Maybe if I puree some muscle and mix it in . . .

[rainbowgirl28]

Yummm steroids

[vaultmd]

Yummm steroids

I was referring to things like cortisone and flucortisone . . .

[ashcraftpv]

I'm sure there are some who know more about this than me, but I think DMSO is a solvent ONLY and gets the DMSO effect everyone keeps referring to by carrying things with it, like crushed tabs, steroids, etc.

Hey! Maybe if I puree some muscle and mix it in . . .

If you read some of the papers at http://www.dmso.org it talks about the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties of it as well.

http://www.dmso.org/articles/information/herschler.htm

[rainbowgirl28]

My guess is you are heel striking at your take off. Your heel bone is the Calcaneous. Look at your track spikes is there any heel wear? is it worse on you take off shoe? Is the wear on the lateral aspect of the shoe or is it centered (worn evenly accros the heel)? If it is lateral you are Inverting(supinating) the calcaneous at your take off and stressing the heck out of everything that attaches to it including the achilles.

The rubber part of the heel on my jump spikes is not worn, but the leatherish stuff above it is. It's only scuffed a tiny bit on my right shoe, but pretty bad on my takeoff foot, and it is more on the lateral side than the medial side.

Identifying the problem is one thing, fixing it is another

[vaultmd]

I'm sure there are some who know more about this than me, but I think DMSO is a solvent ONLY and gets the DMSO effect everyone keeps referring to by carrying things with it, like crushed tabs, steroids, etc.

Hey! Maybe if I puree some muscle and mix it in . . .

If you read some of the papers at http://www.dmso.org it talks about the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties of it as well.

http://www.dmso.org/articles/information/herschler.htm

Thanks for the link. Interesting review article.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

And the swelled bursa is back. I landed shallow on the pit on wednesday this week. Hit my elbow against the mat and my elbow filled back up. I should take a picture.