An Overview of Achilles Bursitis

Causes of Achilles Bursitis

Inflammation of the achilles bursae and/or the achilles tendon usually develops due to overuse, trauma, or degeneration of the protective tissue in the heel and lower leg. Specific causes include:

Acute Trauma - A direct blow to the back of the heel can cause injury to the retrocalcaneal bursa. In such cases, blood may leak into the bursa causing irritation, inflammation, swelling and pain.

Excess Stress - Without exercise or activity, muscles can weaken and your heel no longer has the muscle support it needs to move correctly. This can cause excess load on the lower leg and heel or your weight may be distributed unevenly within your ankle joint. Uneven distribution of weight will put extra stress on some areas compared to others leading to abnormal wear and tear on the stressed areas.

Athletes Who Overtrain or runners that increase their distance to quickly are at greater risk of experiencing Achilles bursitis. With over use, the Achilles bursae and tendon can become irritated and inflamed leading to thickening of the bursae lining and wearing of the tendon. Fluid builds in the bursa when it becomes irritated causing swelling of the Achilles bursa and pain at the back of the heel.

Overuse Injury (Chronic) - Excessive friction, or rubbing, on the retrocalcaneal bursa can aggravate it over time. If your run, walk or hike often, you may be at higher risk of achilles bursitis due to frequent stress and friction on the achilles bursa. This risk increases if there is anything that many cause abnormal wear and tear within the joint.

Improper foot wear, tight shoes or shoes that do not fit properly can cause extra pressure and friction on the back of the heel. Over time, this pressure causes irritation of the bursae that protects the Achilles tendon causing one or both to swell and become inflamed.

Pressure on the Bursa - Work and frequent activities that place repetitive pressure on the infrapatellar bursa can cause achilles bursitis. Although the bursae in your heel function as cushions to protect the tendons and other soft tissue, frequent walking or stair climbing during your work or activities often creates more stress than they can handle. The excess pressure causes the bursa to become irritated and inflamed, leading to swelling and thickening of the bursa lining.

Infection (Septic Bursitis) - The closer the bursa is to the surface of the skin, the more likely the chance of infection from specific bacteria that are commonly found on the surface of the skin. This infection is known as septic bursitis and common bacteria that create this infection are known as Staphylococcus Epidermis (or Staphylococcus Aureus). This bacteria can affect the bursa if the heel is cut or scraped, allowing it to get under the skin.

How Do I Diagnose Achilles Bursitis?

When you are experiencing heel pain and suspect you have bursitis, the best way to diagnose this condition is with a quick visit to your doctor for a physical examination of your heel. Getting a proper diagnosis is important so you can treat your condition correctly. Untreated chronic inflammation of bursitis can lead to calcification of the bursa. Calcification of the bursa will mean that it will become even more painful than before.

To begin with, your doctor will gather a medical history about you and your current condition and symptoms. He/she will ask about the amount pain you are having with your lower leg and heel. How long you have had your symptoms and if you are experiencing a range of motion loss or limp when walking/running. Details about what caused the pain in the heel, when it started, and whether or not you have ever had treatments for this or a similar condition in the past, are very helpful in assessing your injury.

Range of motion movements / tests will be done to see how much movement has been lost in your heel. Your heel might hurt from the doctor poking and prodding at it, but by doing this the doctor will better understand the source of your pain, the level of tenderness in the area and how well you can move with this condition.

Your doctor may also consider any previous foot/knee injuries or joint stiffness that you may have had in the past. This will help the doctor to determine if you have a more complex injury in your heel and rule out any other foot injuries that may be present.

If a soft tissue injury is suspected, an MRI may be undertaken to view where and how extensive the damage in the ankle is. An x-ray may be recommended to rule out a bone spur or other foreign body as the cause of your ankle pain. Possible causes of pain that an x-ray can identify include instability, abnormal bone shapes (bone spurs or bone cysts), wear and tear on the joints, avulsion fractures (when a fragment of bone tears away from the main bone along with the muscle, tendon, or ligament as a result of trauma), dislocations, arthritis, calcium deposits in the bursa or joint, and/or other problems.

As the bursae in the heel are close to the surface of the skin, they significantly susceptible to septic bursitis (caused by a cut or scrape) than most other bursae. Your doctor may aspirate (use a needle) to remove fluid from the bursa to check for possible staphylococcus epidermis (or staphylococcus aureus) bacterial infection. Your doctor will be able to determine whether there is an infection or not by drawing a small sample of the bursa fluid with a needle. If it is determined that your bursitis is septic, you will be prescribed antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

A physical examination will be performed to determine if you have any signs of Achilles Bursitis or other ankle injury. He/she will look and feel the soft tissue and bones in your ankles to note any differences between the two of them. This will identify any abnormalities, such as swelling, bone deformities, atrophied muscles, redness and/or warmth on the skin. In many cases, the first sign that you have Achilles bursitis is swelling in the back of the foot and ankle pain.

As the subcutaneous bursa is close to the surface of the skin, it is more susceptible to septic, or infectious, bursitis caused by a cut or scrape at the back of the heel. Septic bursitis requires antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Your doctor will be able to determine whether there is an infection or not by drawing a small sample of the bursa fluid with a needle.

Achilles Movement and the Re-Injury Cycle

Every time you flex your ankle, those ligaments and muscle tissue move; when they are inflamed, every movement hurts. Once this tissue is injured it's painful and becomes very difficult to recover 100% without proper treatment.

Re-Injury of the Achilles Tendon Must Be Avoided. This is Important!

Constant re-injury needs to be avoided at all costs! Please excuse the obvious statement, but I really need to drive this point home. Re-Injury is very common... why? Everyone wants to get back to their regular lifestyle once the pain has reduced. Here is where you have to be careful - often, much of the pain is due to inflammation - so, once you iced the area and the swelling dropped, a lot of the pain probably disappeared too. So then you start back at your regular lifestyle and then all of a sudden the old injury starts flaring up again - this is re-injury!

The Pain May Have Dropped But It Does Not Mean The Underlying Injury Has Healed

Re-Injury is bad because sure, it delays the healing process, but what's worse is that every re-injury and additional healing cycle increases the amount of scar tissue that builds up in the area of your original achilles injury. This applies to muscle, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue as well.

Scar tissue is a weak form of collagen - hard, inflexible, and tough to get rid of once it begins to take hold. The more scar tissue that develops, the more you lose the range of motion in your ankle. With excess scar tissue build up, the injured tissues and the achilles in general will remain weak and very prone to re-straining and re-tearing.

While you can go a number of days and even a few weeks without any major setbacks during the injury.. inevitably, a certain movement or motion will happen that causes your injured soft tissue to strain and even tear once again. This is attributed to the scar tissue build up and will result in the buildup of yet more scar tissue and a further reduced range of motion (ROM).

The more scar tissue that develops, the greater the risk of winding up permanently injured with chronic pain or arthritis. Scar tissue means that your achilles will not perform as well as it once did and it makes it much more prone to injury later on. The longer the injury remains, the risk of atrophy increases and the risk of more scar tissue increases. This is why it is critical to treat your achilles injury now rather than later.

Continuous re-injury and build-up of scar tissue makes it more likely that you will wind up with chronic pain, reduced Range of Motion or even arthritis (permanent damage).

An Achilles Injury Does Not Have to Persist For Months Or Longer. Here is Why It Does For Many

Recovery from an achilles injury can take a long time, especially when some of the less effective, traditional methods are utilized. This is simply because many treatments either focus on masking of pain or are too inconsistent to provide sustainable improvement.

1: Bursitis Sufferers Continue to Aggravate & Re-Injure Their Bursa

2: Visits to Physio (PT) Help - We Always Recommend It - But It Can Be Costly And Inconvenient

3: People Tend To Focus Too Much On Cold Treatments

4: Injections Can Cause Harm If You Are Not Careful

Achilles Injuries Not Only Affect the Achilles - But Can Lead to Other Conditions and Injuries.

Every time we use our injured heel, damaged and swollen tendons and muscle tissue move; when they are inflamed, every movement hurts. With injured tissue, pain happens - sometimes a LOT of pain, so we try not to move it. So, when doing something we need to use our heel for (getting dressed, driving, talking on the phone), we start to use the knee and even the hips more. If we can, we use our other foot instead, even though it is inconvenient and usually the non-dominant foot.

A couple days later (after purposefully avoiding movement of our achilles), the pain has gone down (as well as the swelling) and this is where the trouble begins! The pain disappeared with the swelling but we still aren't fully healed! Not knowing this, we start using our achilles normally again and then the pain shows up again like it did before - all because the injury wasn't fully healed in the first place.

Eventually, we use the other joints more and more, instead of having to put the injured achilles under strain again. This is why these other areas start to hurt - they are being overused now. Soon, aches and pain can become commonplace in other areas of the lower body - all as a result of the original injury and the body's instinctive nature to "protect" the original achilles tendon injury - all because the injury wasn't fully healed in the first place!

We continually re-injure the achilles through our daily activities and now this injury has become a chronic achilles injury.

Muscle imbalances result, placing tension on bone and softer tissues - leading to a misalignment within the lower body. The extra stress on the opposite side of the body will also result in weakness and fatigue of the tissues - increasing the chances they can eventually be injured or gradually degenerate. This is a textbook example of how you get an overcompensation injury. In some cases, physical therapists warn that overcompensation can be very dangerous as it will eventually affect gait or alignment on a permanent basis.

An injury to one achilles can easily lead to straining in other areas, making an overall recovery hard to initiate. The longer the injury (and corresponding pain) persists, the greater the chance that you will sustain more strain from overcompensation, eventually leading to issues in those areas as well. To minimize potential secondary injuries, know that it is important to deal with your achilles heel tendon injury quickly and completely.

Truly, chronic achilles/calcaneal tendon and bursa injuries can become a vicious cycle - which is why it is absolutely critical to focus on methods that improve and strengthen injured soft tissue in a timely manner. The faster you truly heal, the less chance you have of sinking into a downward spiral of re-injury, scar tissue growth and overcompensation injuries.

Okay, So I Have Achilles Bursitis...What Should I Do Now?

If you want to dig deeper into home treatment options, view our Bursitis Treatment Page.

Conservative Treatment Tools Our Clients Have Used to Help Limit Achilles Damage & Boost The Body's Soft Tissue Repair Process at Home:

• A Cold Compress or Ice Pack to reduce inflammation wherever there is pain and/or swelling (as soon as possible).
• An Achilles TShellz Wrap to increase blood-flow to the targeted treatment area (a Localized Enhanced Circulatory Response^® Treatment).
• MendMeShop Arnica Pain Cream for temporary relief of pain due to sore muscles and joints.
• Perhaps a High Quality Knee Pillow for comfort while sleeping, sitting and raising the foot.
• An Exercise & Stretching Plan to prevent muscle atrophy and shortened tendons in the leg. A proper plan will increase elasticity and strengthen the muscles and tendons in the ankle, calf, knee, and upper leg.

Conservative treatment tools just like these have been used successfully by thousands of soft tissue injury sufferers - just like you.

Help Your Body Heal Fast By Enhancing Blood Flow in the Treatment Area

We believe the use of TShellz Wraps^® for boosting blood flow to soft tissue in the area of application is one of the most under-utilized home treatment options available on the market today. We have client after client that have tried many options out there and have been amazed at how effective and fast the TShellz Wrap treatment has helped in their recovery.

*With regular use of the Achilles TShellz Wrap:

• Your pain will be reduced*.
• Due to increased blood flow, soft tissue in the treatment area will be expected to recover at an accelerated rate with reduced potential for re-injury.
• Tissue in the treated area should experience a larger range of motion and increased extensibility of collagen tissue* due to the heat effect on soft tissue. This should translate into a reduced rate of re-injury occurrence as soft tissue is known to lengthen and become more flexible when exposed to warm temperature. (*Chapter 9 of "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin)

*Know that every personal soft tissue injury is unique and the TShellz Wrap may not work for everyone. This is why we offer a 60-day money back return on all our TShellz Wrap devices.

A TShellz Wrap^® application is intended to produce the following results:

Enhance blood circulation and
increase the levels of oxygen within your blood.

This, in turn, improves function of the immune system which increases the body's ability to eliminate toxins and other waste by-products resulting from damaged tissue at the injury location. This allows the body to more easily stimulate the self healing process.

Stimulate the production of collagen - a building block for human tissue.

Many soft tissue injuries are the result of trauma to a tendon or muscle, usually causing the tissue to tear. As a result of the tear, your body triggers a natural healing process resulting in pain, inflammation, and the creation of scar tissue, then eventually reinforcing that band-aid solution with flexible tissue (proliferation). Increased blood flow will make this process more quick and efficient in the majority of cases.

Enhance the extensibility of soft tissue.

It is generally accepted that heat will enhance both the flexibility and the extensibility of soft tissue. This is an important point. Many people with achilles, knee and back conditions (to name a few of many) often experience re-injury due to the fact the damaged muscle or soft tissue is tight and the range of motion is restricted. Even the most minor of activities can cause recovering tissue to strain, sprain, or even tear. Every time this happens, your recovery is delayed. This is why using the TShellz Wrap^® not only now, but also into the future, is wise. The TShellz Wrap^® warms tissue, and thereby increases it's elasticity...all without risk of causing further harm - greatly reducing your chances of re-injury.

It is also intended to provide relief to some who are dealing with nerve related issues.

TShellz Wraps^® applied to muscles and soft tissue that surround the nerves should help them become more loose, as heat is known to increase the flexibility and extensibility of soft tissue. You may find this will alleviate tightness which may have led to nerve compression and the subsequent pain it produces.

Intended to reduce stiffness in joints.

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage and meniscii degenerate. Over time, two bones in the joint rub together with little or no protection from cartilage. This leads to pain and inflammation in the joint as the space within the joint starts to decrease without the cushioning, and stiffness starts to become a bigger and bigger problem. The TShellz Wrap^® is intended to generate warmth and an increase in blood flow - resulting in less stiffness and better range-of-motion.

Contribute to your overall well-being.

Increased blood flow should result in a stronger immune system and an ability for you body to recover from soft tissue injuries more quickly.

Believe me when I say that words alone cannot accurately describe what the TShellz Wrap^® can do for you. It truly is something you need to experience first-hand.

We Receive Calls All the Time From Customers Who Simply Want To Thank Us For Introducing Them To Our Amazing Products!

Let me tell you, we appreciate all the feedback we have received over the years. We have had many medical professionals, athletes and everyday people call and write to tell us about their positive experiences with our devices and the company in general. It never gets old hearing about the successes and it provides us with the motivation to continue doing what we do best - provide individuals with options to heal from the comfort of their own home.

The Reasons For Our High Success Rate - Our Customers!

We never claim our products will work for everyone. That is simply impossible to achieve. Everyone has a different capacity for healing and different circumstances behind their injuries and/or conditions.

In addition, some people may have a hard time sticking with recommended protocol in order to achieve benefits from our devices. Quite simply, our clients that have had successful outcomes have made a small effort to invest 60 minutes a day into the program. If you do the same, chances are you will be very happy with the outcome.

Support Available During Treatment and Beyond

Right after you place an order, email us and we will have a plan developed immediately so you will be able to get started upon arrival of your parcel. We can't promise you miraculous results, however, we do promise to do everything we can to help you with your condition.

Everything you have read up to now has hopefully given you some hope.

However, words are meaningless unless a company stands strongly behind the products they sell. This is what sets us apart from others...we offer people a comprehensive, 60 day, full 100% money back guarantee. We take on all of the risk because we know our products work well for the overwhelming majority of people who purchase them.

We Will Support You Every Step of the Way

You are never alone when making a purchase from us. When we say we stand behind our products, we truly mean it!

If any question or concern arises, simply send us an email at any time (we check our emails constantly all throughout the day and night - even on holidays!). We will respond as soon as possible.

Simply call toll free 1-866-237-9608 to place an order with one of our knowledgeable Product Advisers. They have the ability to answer all your questions...ensuring you only receive the products you need.

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North America Toll Free 1-866-237-9608

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We Can Get You Started For Less Than The Cost Of A Few Physio Sessions

Think about it – you can now have the ability to treat your pain from the comfort of your own home while saving money in the process.

Best of all, you are fully protected when making a purchase from us as we offer a no-hassle 60 day, full money back guarantee.

The Next Step Is Up To You!

Living with pain is never easy as it affects your entire lifestyle. Nothing is more important than making the proper decision when it comes to treating your muscle injury. Most methods only mask the problems or provide temporary relief; they do not treat the pain at its source.

AidMyBursa stands out in this regard as our goal is to help you heal for the longer-term.

The bottom line is, you are welcome to try our products for a full 2 months. If you do not receive the benefits that others have experienced after using the product as directed, simply call us to initiate a return and we will issue a prompt & full refund. There will be no hassle and no hard feelings.

The fastest option you have to get our product into your hands as soon as possible is by placing your order online - at this very moment..

Or, Call Our Office. We are open Monday to Friday to allow you place an order over the phone. Simply call toll free 1-866-237-9608 to place an order with one of our knowledgeable Product Advisors. They have the ability to answer all your questions...ensuring you only receive the products you need.

North America Toll Free 1-866-237-9608
Outside North America +1-705-532-1671

If you choose to order through our online shop, know that we keep no credit card data on file. Once the transaction is completed, the credit information disappears from our internal systems.

As you can see, ordering from us is a very easy and safe process, no matter if choosing to order on-line or over the phone.

Continue with your recovery by resting your bursitis afflicted joint. Limit the activities that may aggravate your condition. Without proper rest and limitation on activities, being active as if your joint is healthy can lead to re-injury. To get back to doing the things you love, you need to give your body proper care and attention.

The trick to healing your injury and getting your joint back in the best possible condition you can is getting it to heal with minimal scar tissue. Even with optimum healing, there is always less elasticity in previously injured tendons, muscles and ligaments. However, if you heal your tissue properly and minimize scar tissue build up, your chance of getting a re-injury or incurring a long term case of bursitis is much lower than average.

The TShellz Wraps^® are intended to help minimize scar tissue growth. The combination of heat and increased blood flow can have a very positive effect on soft tissue, as soft tissue is known to elongate and increase in flexibility due to heat*. Increased blood flow means that tissue can repair more easily due to the increased flow of oxygen and nutrients through your bloodstream.

* Chapter 9 of "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin.

Although steroid injections may provide temporary relief from the pain of tendinitis, bursitis, or other soft tissue injuries, they should be considered carefully as they can weaken soft tissue and possibly increase risk of rupture. If you do opt for an injection, doctors usually recommend that you do not participate in strenuous activities for several weeks to reduce the risk of a rupture.