Eric Berry has a Haglund’s deformity on his heel

[DaFace]

Yes, it's in the other thread. Bite me.

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2018/...ty-on-his-heel

REPORT: Eric Berry has a Haglund’s deformity on his heel
New information on Berry’s sore heel injury emerged on Saturday.
By Pete Sweeney Sep 29, 2018, 1:15pm CDT

Eric Berry has not practiced or played for the Kansas City Chiefs since August 11 in St. Joseph, Missouri, because of what the team has described as a “sore heel.”

The last we heard from the Chiefs athletic training staff was in early September, when head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder described the injury as “literally day to day.”

More information on Berry’s injury emerged Saturday morning, via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo:

Mike Garafolo: “My understanding, and I’ve spoken to people familiar with his injury situation. He’s got what’s called a Haglund’s deformity in that Achilles. That’s a bone spur that basically digs into the Achilles. Shaun O’ Hara, our colleague at NFL Network, he had it. I spoke to him this week. He said it is extremely painful. He actually used a more colorful word that I won’t use here. It’s just something that continues to irritate the area. Some guys have been able to play with it—you get a shoe here or there, you can adjust … but that’s what’s going on. It’s going to be a pain management thing. It’s not like this thing will tear the Achilles necessarily. A lot of these cases don’t result in a tear, but that’s why with Berry right now, he has not played, and they’ve been doing OK. That’s going to allow them a little bit more patience with Berry, but it is extremely painful.”

This provides a little more clarity than Berry’s injury simply being a “sore heel,” which is good, but what’s bad is there still seems to be no timetable. Remember, Berry missed nearly the entirety of the 2017 season due to a ruptured Achilles on the other leg.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was mum on the injury when asked about it Saturday afternoon after the Chiefs’ final practice of the week.

Berry is officially ruled doubtful heading into the Monday night game against the Denver Broncos.

----

Here are the notes from our in-house medical expert, Aaron Borgmann:

A lot of talk today regarding something known as a Haglund’s deformity. It was reported by a media source that the player in question suffers from this condition. This discussion is not to confirm or deny that possibility, as I can only explain the available information that we have been given. To be clear, the team has not confirmed this diagnosis and I have no advance knowledge of the player’s current condition.

The simple explanation here that it is indeed a bone spur on the backside of someone’s heel. This is frequently known as a “pump bump” from the occurrence that it is often seen in women’s fashion from the shoes that they wear. However, incidence in football players is also common, sometimes referred to as “retrocalcaneal bursitis” as well.

The bone spur irritates the bursa (fluid-filled sac) that sits between the bone and the tendon or even the tendon itself directly. This can cause a great deal of inflammation and discomfort with any sort of dynamic ankle/foot movement, worse with pressure on the spot itself.

Having one in and of itself it not uncommon, but the degree to which it bothers someone is the issue. Depending upon demands of movement, these can range from debilitating to just a nuisance. Obviously, in football players, the degree of inflammation is what dictates the level of function.

These are diagnosed both visually and radiographically and it is a situation where if you see it and player complains of certain symptoms (pain with movement in that exact spot, swelling, redness) then you can be pretty sure that is what it is.

Treatment focuses on reduction of inflammation obviously directly over the spot. This can be done both topically and through systemic medication. Soft tissue lengthening in both the calf and bottom of the foot is also done to alleviate the issue from both sides – this is due to the fact that both the calf and plantar fascia connect to the calcaneus (heel bone) on either side.

Not to be forgotten is footwear modification and adjustment. Very rigid shoes can cause this irritation, and in some athletes, I would even cut the shoe in the heel to allow room for the bump. Other options include specialized padding and friction reduction methods. Heel lifts have been shown to be helpful in some.

For this condition, non-surgical intervention is preferred to reduce the inflammation as opposed to surgical due to the immobilization period.

If the inflammation can be reduced and the function level high, many players learned to adapt their daily routines to accommodate. They may have to put in a bit more time in order to get ready due to the condition’s demands but can nonetheless get by and still perform at a high level.

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by TLO

Give him some horse crank and get him out on the field!

This. And make him pay for the medical bill.

[KChiefs1]

Give him a shot & get him out there.

[Redbled]

My wife had this exact condition in high school. She was in a boot for 2 weeks and walking and running normally in a month after surgery. She doesn’t play in the NFL however. If they knew this a month or more ago surgery may been the best bet at the time.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyV13

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322432.php

Haglund's Deformity Surgery

Surgery may be needed when non-surgical treatments do not relieve symptoms. Surgery aims to remove the part of the heel bone that is sticking out. Surgery may also be used to repair the Achilles tendon if it is damaged.

Podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons can perform different types of surgery to correct Haglund's deformity. The type of procedure depends on how severe the Haglund's deformity is, the person's health history, and their lifestyle.

Endoscopic surgery is less invasive than traditional surgery. Because it uses smaller incisions than traditional surgery, the recovery is often shorter. According to 2018 research, it results in good to excellent outcomes in the short and medium-term.

Conventional surgery, however, also appears to have successful outcomes. One study found that the majority of those who had traditional surgery had relief of their pain at their one-year follow-up. But, the authors noted that doctors should tell people that the recovery from surgery can be several months.

He needs surgery. Do it!

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Cut him open and get it fixed and he could be back for the Rams game. It should have been diagnosed two months ago. Somebody on the medical staffs sucks.

[Red Dawg]

What a waste of money Berry is. Hasn't played in over a year and practiced like what, 10 times at camp. Killing our cap along the way.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin

Cut him open and get it fixed and he could be back for the Rams game. It should have been diagnosed two months ago. Somebody on the medical staffs sucks.

Well sure but that decision falls on Berry.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by srvy

Well sure but that decision falls on Berry.

Meh. If he declines the surgery put him on the NFI list and be done with it.

[srvy]

I am sure Andy and the med staff are sick and tired of this. Its also why I suspect it was leaked.

[BlackOp]

Berry should retire, take an injury settlement and get his bone spur fixed....unretire in 2020 and resign with the Chiefs.

He needs to give KC some cap relief if he isn't going to play.

Signing a player that went through Chemo with a preexisting "heel condition"... to a record contract is ridiculous. Did Chunt think it was just going to go away...or the invasive treatment wouldn't exacerbate the issue?

Dorsey didn't want to sign him without protections...so Berry quit talking to him and caused a LR issue.

Now we have a $78 million dollar door stop.

Reid's "day to day" is cover for CHunt and his contract blunder. 19 games and counting..

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Meh. If he declines the surgery put him on the NFI list and be done with it.

Makes sense but Berry is a locker room leader players look up to him. The Chiefs go nuclear on this could start problems. How Berry has handled this has lost me some respect for the guy. There may be more to the story but its obvious his contract obviously has a no disclosure to the team on release of injury info.

[srvy]

Anyway Sorenson cant get healthy soon enough.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by srvy

Anyway Sorenson cant get healthy soon enough.

Just give up the picks for Thomas. Sorenson doesn't really solve anything.

[scho63]

This has been handled about as poorly as any injury in the NFL I've ever seen since some guy named Justin Houston.

Chief's are the best at this stuff...... NOT!

[CaliforniaChief]

I actually have this. No joke.

It got to the point where I could barely wear shoes because of the bump that grew on my heel. So...

My podiatrist recommended surgery, and that's what we did. They actually severed the Achilles, removed the mass, and re-attached it. By surgically severing the achilles, the recovery time would be less.

I would guess he plays through the pain this year (when he's ready), do the surgery first day after the Super Bowl, and then he COULD conceivably be ready for next season.

Just my experience.