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 BossChief:
If this was as simple as a routine surgery to remove the bone spur, it would have been done years ago. Literally years ago. Especially if the recovery time is only 8 weeks.
The best sports medicine specialists in the world have decided what’s the best way to deal with this.
Be patient.
Nah, I'm good. He's probably always going to have the pain as long as that bone spur is there, and the constant hassle that comes with it. That's not worth vet minimum, much less his albatross of a contract. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BossChief:
His situation is unique in that his body got done fighting off cancer through chemo not long ago and that does a number on a persons immune system and ability to heal.
I think he’s had this deformity for 4 years (or more) and that the doctors are giving their best guess as how to treat it.
Looks like the best way is to remove the Achilles and grind down the spur.
I'm betting it's him not wanting that. It would have been in the teams best interest at this point to have had that surgery in the summer at the latest [Reply]
Originally Posted by SAUTO:
Looks like the best way is to remove the Achilles and grind down the spur.
I'm betting it's him not wanting that. It would have been in the teams best interest at this point to have had that surgery in the summer at the latest
And his view is "if they think I'm what I used to be I have a better shot of seeing my 70 mill than I do with 2 redone achillies where I may be done and not even see half my money" [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
And his view is "if they think I'm what I used to be I have a better shot of seeing my 70 mill than I do with 2 redone achillies where I may be done and not even see half my money"
I never wanted to think that about him. But i'm coming around. Djln made sense [Reply]
Originally Posted by SAUTO:
You sound like you are informed here.
Give us the scoop.
I know what every one else does...that this specific heal has been an issue for 4+ years and overcompensation cause him to rupture the opposite Achilles. [Reply]
No matter how good of a dude he is, if any of us were in his spot we'd do the same. I don't fault him for it, it's reality.
The longer he can drag this thing out the more of his money he sees. No person would just willingly give up 20 million dollars because it didn't work out. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BossChief:
I know what every one else does...that this specific heal has been an issue for 4+ years and overcompensation cause him to rupture the opposite Achilles.
Yeah, and it's never going to get better without surgery. Either have the surgery the day after our last game or cut him with a post June 1st designation. [Reply]
Going from my own experience with Achilles issues and surgery he is being a pansy about it. Can it hurt like hell? Yes Can it be managed until surgery is 100% needed? Yes.
He knows he can’t be cut until after 2019 so he has no urgency to get back. [Reply]
Originally Posted by SAUTO:
Are you saying this situation isn't very weird? Has anyone ever been day to day for 3 months? Has any team acted like its up to the player to decide when it's time and then a month later the player still isn't playing?
The organization has fucked this up beyond recognition.
Had they been upfront and honest, people wouldn't be speculating. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BossChief:
I know what every one else does...that this specific heal has been an issue for 4+ years and overcompensation cause him to rupture the opposite Achilles.
Then I wouldn'tbe telling others how to feel/ think about it.
Originally Posted by SAUTO:
Looks like the best way is to remove the Achilles and grind down the spur.
I'm betting it's him not wanting that. It would have been in the teams best interest at this point to have had that surgery in the summer at the latest
That’s what I’m saying. This has been going on since before cancer....it’s entirely possible the Achilles is damaged and it’s not that easy. [Reply]