Achilles tendon bursitis

[Julene]

Achilles tendon bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) located either between the skin of the back of the heel and the Achilles tendon (called posterior Achilles tendon bursitis) or in front of the attachment of the Achilles tendon to the heel bone (called anterior Achilles tendon bursitis or retromalleolar bursitis).

Typical symptoms include swelling, warmth, pain, and a tender spot at the back of the heel.
The diagnosis is based on symptoms, an examination, and sometimes x-rays.
Treatment is aimed at relieving the inflammation and, depending on the location of the Achilles tendon bursitis, eliminating the pressure on the back of the heel.

(See also Overview of Foot Problems.)
The Achilles tendon is the tendon that attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. Bursitis is painful inflammation of a bursa (a flat, fluid-filled sac that provides cushioning and reduces friction in areas where skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments rub over bones).
Posterior Achilles tendon bursitis occurs mainly in young women but can develop in men. Walking in a way that repeatedly presses the soft tissue behind the heel against the stiff back support of a shoe can cause or aggravate the bursitis. Shoes that taper sharply inward toward the posterior heel (such as high-heeled shoes or pumps) can cause or worsen an enlargement of the bone of the back of the heel (called pump bump or Haglund deformity), which contributes to posterior Achilles tendon bursitis.
Anterior Achilles tendon bursitis (also called Albert disease or retromalleolar bursitis) can be caused by any condition that puts extra strain on the Achilles tendon. Injuries to the heel (such as those caused by stiff or poorly fitting shoes) and diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout) can also cause it.