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 notorious: Yeah, it’s wrong to be frustrated that the largest salary cap safety in the NFL hasn’t seen the field in 1 1/2 seasons, and on top of it has an injury that’s been day-to-day for months.
Who said that?
He’s just saying the conspiracy theories are retarded. Which they are.
If Berry weren’t going to play at some point, he’d be on IR. It’s really that simple.
Why would they be saying they’re really confident he’s going to play if he weren’t? They’re knowingly lying and setting up a shit storm for when he doesn’t? There’s no logic there. [Reply]
Sometimes I think a few Planeteers are trolling themselves (and each other) ... a sad state of affairs, if true.
Let's imagine that nobody's actually lying about anything and they merely want EB to be as full-go as possible when he takes the field (not saying that's the situation, just imagining it). Then, let's imagine that nobody ever expected we'd be 5 and 1 with that hellish schedule and a 1st year starting QB (not difficult to imagine that part). Holding EB out until he's fully ready would be a good idea under those circumstances.
Frankly, EB doesn't strike me as the kind of person to jerk people around.
Originally Posted by FAX:
Sometimes I think a few Planeteers are trolling themselves (and each other) ... a sad state of affairs, if true.
Let's imagine that nobody's actually lying about anything and they merely want EB to be as full-go as possible when he takes the field (not saying that's the situation, just imagining it). Then, let's imagine that nobody ever expected we'd be 5 and 1 with that hellish schedule and a 1st year starting QB (not difficult to imagine that part). Holding EB out until he's fully ready would be a good idea under those circumstances.
Frankly, EB doesn't strike me as the kind of person to jerk people around.
FAX
That's fine. I actually agree with doing that 100%. Stop saying he's just a couple weeks away from playing if that's the plan. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
That's fine. I actually agree with doing that 100%. Stop saying he's just a couple weeks away from playing if that's the plan.
When did they say “he’s just a couple weeks away from playing”? [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
When did they say “he’s just a couple weeks away from playing”?
The Chiefs are hopeful that Berry, who has shown positive signs during the rehabilitation process, can resume on-field work this week, Chadiha reported. Chadiha added the more realistic expectation is that Berry could return in time when the Chiefs host the Jacksonville Jaguars at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 5. [Reply]
Originally Posted by notorious:
Yeah, it’s wrong to be frustrated that the largest salary cap safety in the NFL hasn’t seen the field in 1 1/2 seasons, and on top of it has an injury that’s been day-to-day for months.
Nothing wrong with being frustrated.
The frustration turning into comments like "They are lying to the fans!" when it makes zero sense is just ridiculous.
Frustration turning into comments which in a nutshell are calling Berry a weak ass pussy with no heart are ridiculous.
Why cant the situation just be exactly what it is? They aren't sure when he will be back and they hope every week its going to be the next week. [Reply]
He’s just saying the conspiracy theories are retarded. Which they are.
If Berry weren’t going to play at some point, he’d be on IR. It’s really that simple.
Why would they be saying they’re really confident he’s going to play if he weren’t? They’re knowingly lying and setting up a shit storm for when he doesn’t? There’s no logic there.
Frankly it would make more sense for the the team to be pessimistic to the fans and then everyone end up happy if it turned out better than expected. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
Frankly it would make more sense for the the team to be pessimistic to the fans and then everyone end up happy if it turned out better than expected.
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
I see this comment made repeatedly yet not a single person has provided a motive as to why the team would be "lying to the fans" nor explained what that accomplishes.
You know why? Because it makes no fucking sense. There is no motive or gain to that stupid theory.
If they knew he couldn't play he would be on IR, its that fucking simple you whiny bitches.
Fucking internet message board posters who cant handle a player being hurt without acting like insane teenage girls are questioning the toughness of a guy who missed less than 1 season beating cancer.
Just amazing.
6+ weeks without so much as being able to practice might offer some validity to our concerns.
Are you suggesting that he might play Sunday, after not having practiced in 2 months?
C'mon man, cut us some slack, 1 week, maybe 2, is understandable, but 6+? [Reply]