What is the painful bump on the back of my heel? 

Monmouth County podiatrist sees many people develop a bump on the back of the heel.  Often the bump on the back of the heel is due to the pressure from the back of a shoe, it can become inflamed and painful.  Podiatrists often give the diagnosis Haglund's deformity, but it is more commonly known as a pump bump.  Typically, women are affected by a pump bump more than men are because of the shoes that they wear however female podiatrist in Oakhurst, Dr. Allison Cheney has seen an increase in men over the years.

The cause of the “bump” is either a bone spur that forms on the back of the heel or accumulation of fluid around the Achilles tendon or both.   This bump forms for one of two reasons.  The first is due to excessive pulling of the Achilles tendon on the heel bone.  This occurs due to a tight or shortened Achilles tendon.  The other reason is because of the rocking motion of the heel bone during walking. This causes shear forces on the back of the heel and a buildup of a bone spur in response to the pressure.

If you catch a bone spur forming before it becomes painful, it is usually effectively treated with a custom orthotic device.  The custom molded orthotic helps to stabilize the foot function and limits the pressure and pulling on the heel bone.  Don't wait for heel pain to be extreme before you start.  Call your Monmouth County podiatrist Dr. Allison Cheney before a problem starts.

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