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.
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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. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
That tweet implied that he'd play if the playoffs were today, and that we were holding him out to be careful. That's fine, but if you go off that belief then why has he been kept on the roster if they were holding him out for later on purpose?
It's also a stupid plan, considering we're one loss and a Patriots win away from losing home field advantage. They're going to look awfully stupid if/when we end up losing a game late because of a breakdown in coverage in the secondary that Berry could have prevented.
Maybe the more he plays, the more it would ignite the pain so in this case, you just save him for the last stretch run otherwise you might end up not having him at all for the playoffs or not 100%. Just speculating obviously but yeah.. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
That tweet implied that he'd play if the playoffs were today, and that we were holding him out to be careful. That's fine, but if you go off that belief then why has he been kept on the roster if they were holding him out for later on purpose?
It's also a stupid plan, considering we're one loss and a Patriots win away from losing home field advantage. They're going to look awfully stupid if/when we end up losing a game late because of a breakdown in coverage in the secondary that Berry could have prevented.
That play already happened against the Patriots, we had a guy fresh off the street covering Gronk on the last drive. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
For what its worth.
The Gunslingiest
The Gunslingiest
@RedMamba707
·
14m
If the playoffs started today, Berry would be playing. It’s a pain tolerance issue. They’re saving him for the stretch run. Houston and Sorensen back soon. Dorian O’Daniel is coming on as a playmaker. The defense is getting there.
He'd better come back at 100%, play 100% of the snaps and earn every fucking dollar he's been paid to sit because of his "pain tolerance" issue. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buckweath:
Maybe the more he plays, the more it would ignite the pain so in this case, you just save him for the last stretch run otherwise you might end up not having him at all for the playoffs or not 100%. Just speculating obviously but yeah..
Which is fine. But why not put him on IR to begin with and get him ready for the second half of the season if that's the case? [Reply]
Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN:
That play already happened against the Patriots, we had a guy fresh off the street covering Gronk on the last drive.
Well, yeah. No use crying about that now. We still have the top seed in the AFC, but we're hanging on by a thread with New England nipping at our heels. [Reply]
How Berry sits on the sidelines making more money than the guys actually going out there and playing is perplexing just from a team and ego standpoint.
If he's trying to play the motivational role I know a couple border collies at the SPCA that need adoption and will come up and lick your face for a pat on the head.
Go to IR already and make way for a rookie that wants in. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
Berry is a man who suffered through chemo yet still found a way to keep is body in top condition, despite how grueling it was.
If he says it's too painful to play, it's too painful to play.
Everything we've ever known about Berry didn't suddenly change because he got injured.
I agree.
But there's only 53 men allowed on an NFL roster. He hasn't played in over a year. Shit or get off the pot already.
There's a whole lot of men that would love a chance to play safety for the Chiefs. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
Berry is a man who suffered through chemo yet still found a way to keep is body in top condition, despite how grueling it was.
If he says it's too painful to play, it's too painful to play.
Everything we've ever known about Berry didn't suddenly change because he got injured.
Yea I do not understand how the narrative has shifted 180 degrees to basically Berry is a pussy.
Almost nobody if anyone on this board disliked Berry before the start of the season or questioned his toughness. Now people trash him like he has the heart of Matt Cassel. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
Berry is a man who suffered through chemo yet still found a way to keep is body in top condition, despite how grueling it was.
If he says it's too painful to play, it's too painful to play.
Everything we've ever known about Berry didn't suddenly change because he got injured.
He was in line for a new contract soon afterwards. He's gotten paid now and clearly isn't as motivated to play. Different circumstances. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
He was in line for a new contract soon afterwards. He's gotten paid now and clearly isn't as motivated to play. Different circumstances.
He was already paid. Did you forget his $60 mill rookie contract? [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
He was in line for a new contract soon afterwards. He's gotten paid now and clearly isn't as motivated to play. Different circumstances.
Do you honestly think he would really do that to the Chiefs? The entire organization stood behind Berry through his cancer situation, why would he be disgruntled again? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
He was already paid. Did you forget his ($75mill?) rookie contract?
He was still heavily motivated to earn that second contract. If this was a contract year, do you think he'd let his pain keep him from getting on the field? [Reply]
Originally Posted by In58men:
Do you honestly think he would really do that to the Chiefs? The entire organization stood behind Berry through his cancer situation, why would he be disgruntled again?