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 Superturtle:
I feel pretty bad about it but most of the anger and disappointment I had for Sutton is now firmly aimed at Berry. He straight up let us down by not even attempting to play.
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
I feel pretty bad about it but most of the anger and disappointment I had for Sutton is now firmly aimed at Berry. He straight up let us down by not even attempting to play.
The continued silence is deafening. Each day he doesn't practice, each week he doesn't play, puts us all behind the 8-ball. He's owes us nothing, but the same holds true in reverse.
This is a business for both sides, and the Chiefs need to be in the business of winning and players who play. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
I feel pretty bad about it but most of the anger and disappointment I had for Sutton is now firmly aimed at Berry. He straight up let us down by not even attempting to play.
What sucks is that this team doesn’t have a leader on defense currently. Chris Jones tried to fill that role at halftime but it just isn’t the same.
After the Steelers game, Mahomes commanded everybody’s respect on the entire team, but specifically the offense. Guys like Cam Erving, Anthony Sherman and Demarcus Robinson looked better because of him and they bought in.
Eric Berry was that presence on defense and ever since he got hurt the defense collapsed.
We need this guy back soon. I guarantee guys will start getting motivated by seeing him on the field and feeling his energy. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
What sucks is that this team doesn’t have a leader on defense currently. Chris Jones tried to fill that role at halftime but it just isn’t the same.
After the Steelers game, Mahomes commanded everybody’s respect on the entire team, but specifically the offense. Guys like Cam Erving, Anthony Sherman and Demarcus Robinson looked better because of him and they bought in.
Eric Berry was that presence on defense and ever since he got hurt the defense collapsed.
We need this guy back soon. I guarantee guys will start getting motivated by seeing him on the field and feeling his energy.
I wonder if him standing on the sideline and not wanting to play through pain is having the opposite effect. :-) [Reply]
I'm not going to sit here and cast aspersions on the toughness of a guy that came back from lymphoma.
There also exists a possibility where this deformity is so painful that attempting to play through it would hobble him to the extent that he's even worse than what's on the field. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
I'm not going to sit here and cast aspersions on the toughness of a guy that came back from lymphoma.
There also exists a possibility where this deformity is so painful that attempting to play through it would hobble him to the extent that he's even worse than what's on the field.
Chiefs need to quit lying to the fans and Berry needs to have surgery or retire if the pain is that debilitating. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
I certainly don't. I fully expect him to stand on the sidelines all season.
Tonight was the night he really needed to be on the field and he wasn't feeling it.
He should play now until he aggravates it a bit. Then sit out the remaining games of the season until the playoffs. Then come AFC West Championship time, get your ass out there. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
I'm not going to sit here and cast aspersions on the toughness of a guy that came back from lymphoma.
There also exists a possibility where this deformity is so painful that attempting to play through it would hobble him to the extent that he's even worse than what's on the field.
If true he needs to retire, take an injury settlement and let both sides move on. He is collecting a massive paycheck doing nothing for this team. [Reply]
I would think that if you have a heel injury to the degree that you can’t even practice for 2+ months, it seems interesting that Berry has no noticeable limp or trouble pacing the sidelines for 3+ hours during these games and/or running out of the tunnel with the team. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
I wonder if him standing on the sideline and not wanting to play through pain is having the opposite effect. :-)
The Chiefs don’t need him until the end of the season. I understand the HFA angle, and it is very important, but we just saw Mahomes go into Bill’s house and set it on fire in one half after he had TEN days to prepare.
The Patriots played a game with zero accountable penalties and a shifty half, benefitting from a 15 point lead and they STILL had to win on literally the last play of the game.
The Chiefs can win anywhere with Mahomes and there isn’t a defense that can stop us.
I still believe 100% that if Mahomes doesn’t miss Hunt on the opening drive TD, we win by double digits. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TambaBerry:
If true he needs to retire, take an injury settlement and let both sides move on. He is collecting a massive paycheck doing nothing for this team.
This.
If he truly can't play through it, then just admit it and move on. I have no problem with him saying he just can't do it. He's a cancer survivor.
But the seeming cat and mouse game that is going on is what is killing us. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
I'm not going to sit here and cast aspersions on the toughness of a guy that came back from lymphoma.
There also exists a possibility where this deformity is so painful that attempting to play through it would hobble him to the extent that he's even worse than what's on the field.
If that's the case, just come out and say it. Stop teasing everybody. [Reply]
