RETROCALCANEAL BURSITIS

• Retrocalcaneal bursitis is the inflammation of bursa located between the calcaneus and the anterior surface of achilles tendon
• Also called as achilles tendon bursitis
• Patients, especially sporting athlete and individuals who are accustomed to wearing high heeled shoes on a long-term basis frequently complain of pain and swelling behind the heel which increases on activities

• Overtraining in an athlete
• Tight or poorly fitting shoes that produce excessive pressure at the posterior heel
• Haglund deformity
• Altered joint axis
• Secondary causes – gout, rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies

• Pain at the back of the heel especially when running uphill
• Tenderness at the back of heel
• Swelling at the back of heel
• Increase in pain in activities which load the calf

• X-ray – may reveal Haglund deformity (increased prominence of the posterosuperior aspect of the calcaneus )
• USG
• MRI – may demonstrate bursal inflammation, generally not necessary

• Ice applications to the posterior heel
• Gradual progressive stretching of the achilles tendon to relieve the impingement of sub-tendinous bursa
• Micro current therapy
• Corticosteroid injection
• Surgical – bursectomy (rare, only in un-resolving cases)

Ayurvedic Treatment

Internal medicines

• Punarnavadi Kashaya
• Rasna saptaka kashaya
• Rasna erandadai kashaya
• Kanchanara guggulu
• Kaisora guggulu
• Amrutarishta
• Punarnavasava
• Chandraprabha Vati
• Hinguvachadi choorna

Procedure

• Lepa - Kottamchukkadi , Karuthavattu
• Dhara – Murivenna
• Agnikarma- Ruksha / Snigdha