Haglund’s Deformity: A Painful Bump on the Heel

Have you noticed a bump on the back of your heel, and you want to get rid of it? Then you’re not alone! Here in our podiatry practice in Westfield, IN, serving Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers and Zionsville, we see men and women with this annoying bony bump, called a Haglund’s deformity. More often, however, women are affected, which is why we also called this condition a pump bump. But what causes the problem and what can we do about it? Keep reading to find out! 

Bump on Back of Heel: What is a Haglund’s Deformity? 

Aa Haglund’s deformity develops when your calcaneus bone becomes enlarged, forming a bump under your skin.  Early on, the bump shouldn’t be painful. Yet, as it grows larger, it can cause pain by rubbing against shoes. Also, a bump on the back of your heel increases your risk for bursitis in the area. (That describes inflammation in the fluid-filled sac between your tendon and bone.) Soon, inflammation spreads to your heel, and that triggers a chain reaction that only makes your Haglund’s deformity larger. 

Causes and Symptoms

Several different sources of pressure can cause a Haglund’s deformity to develop. Those include: 

• Tight Shoes

• Having High Arches

• Achilles Tendonitis

When you have a Haglund’s deformity, you’ll notice a hard bump on the back of your heel. But you may also experience: 

• Heel pain, redness and inflammation

• Bursitis

• Pain when you wear closed shoes

Treating Bump on Back of Heel  

We can treat a Haglund’s deformity non-surgically, if you are only seeking pain relief. With daily icing and anti-inflammatory medications, we can resolve your pain and inflammation. Then, we can place strategic padding in your shoes to reduce future irritation for the bump on the back of your heel. 

Also, if bodily structures like high arches contributed to your Haglund’s deformity, we can fit you with  orthotics to help take pressure off the area. This should keep the bony bump from growing any larger than it is right now. 

Now, if these treatments don’t offer enough relief, we can surgically remove the bump, or file down the bump to reduce its prominence. Remember, after foot surgery, you’ll have to keep weight off the affected heel. And your recovery period could last as long as eight weeks, meaning this is an option we’d prefer to avoid. 

Early Intervention for Haglund’s Deformity 

The best way to avid surgery for a bump on the back of the heel is to come in while it’s still small. At that point, it’s easier to deliver pain relief without invasive procedures. But untreated Haglund’s deformities will grow larger and more irritated.  So, if you’ve already noticed a bony lump forming on your heel, schedule your appointment with Dr. David Sullivan today!