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]
KPass beat both tackles. He had the most pressures on the team with like 18 snaps.
Veldheer and Bolles aren’t world beaters, but they’re starting OT’s and there’s really not that much better around the league. I don’t see how you can say he was not impressive in limited snaps. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
KPass beat both tackles. He had the most pressures on the team with like 18 snaps.
Veldheer and Bolles aren’t world beaters, but they’re starting OT’s and there’s really not that much better around the league. I don’t see how you can say he was not impressive in limited snaps.
Veldheer and Bolles are actually pretty bad. [Reply]
Not that I’m a huge PFF fan, but I’ve heard Veldheer played well the first few weeks of the season. He’s still one of the better RT’s in the league, though that’s not saying much. [Reply]
I don't know man. Tanoh looks a lot more like Ford, without the quick first step, than Justin Houston.
Of course, he's ridiculously raw so the pass rush moves might yet develop. It's just frustrating when this defense is so bad and all these young guys are sitting on the bench. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
I don't know man. Tanoh looks a lot more like Ford, without the quick first step, than Justin Houston.
Of course, he's ridiculously raw so the pass rush moves might yet develop. It's just frustrating when this defense is so bad and all these young guys are sitting on the bench.
Tanoh looks a lot more powerful than Ford.
I sat behind the Chiefs bench during hte Bears/Chiefs preseason game and he looked like the biggest player on the team.
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
Kpassagnon is much better today than he was a year ago. For that reason, I am not crushing Speaks just yet.
Don't know, man. Speaks just looks like he has no potential whatsoever at OLB. Tanoh at least looks like a physical freak of nature amd has explosiveness. Speaks just doesn't look like he belongs on the edge. Move him behind Bailey and get him prepared to take over after the end of the year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
Don't know, man. Speaks just looks like he has no potential whatsoever at OLB. Tanoh at least looks like a physical freak of nature amd has explosiveness. Speaks just doesn't look like he belongs on the edge. Move him behind Bailey and get him prepared to take over after the end of the year.
I think it’s pretty obvious that if Speaks turns out to be a success it will likely be at DE. Veach has already acknowledged that could be the case. They already knew the experiment at OLB might not work, which makes me feel a little better as does KPass’s growth.
If he’s moved to DE, we will see what he can really do. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
I think it’s pretty obvious that if Speaks turns out to be a success it will likely be at DE. Veach has already acknowledged that could be the case. They already knew the experiment at OLB might not work, which makes me feel a little better as does KPass’s growth.
If he’s moved to DE, we will see what he can really do.
Sure would be nice to get something out of him now though, while Mahomes is having a generational season... [Reply]
