UKC

Hi all,

So the other day I noticed that I have large lumps on my achilles heels of both feet. After a quick google search it looks like I have Haglunds deformity - which makes sense considering my shoes (5.10s) are very tight and my achilles hurt whenever I wear them. I knew that I was in pain, but everyone tells me that its normal for shoes to cause your feet to hurt.

However, now I don't know what to do. Obviously wearing my climbing shoes is not a good idea, but I've only had them for a few months and have only been climbing since November - and already my ankles are at this point - a lot of info suggested people developed this only after some years. Does anyone have experience of this? What did you do? Non-surgical options don't bode well for continuing climbing, and I've read about surgery but that sounds so extreme! Also, would going to a GP actually help - I can't imagine that there is much they can do. I really don't want to give up climbing, is there a chance they will just go away on there own?

Please any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

In reply to RosiePogue:

I know bugger all about this condition but the list of non surgical treatments on the wiki page actually don't sound that bad. There are certainly lots of avenues to explore. Maybe try and get referred to a podiatrist or a good physio before you give up hope. Good luck mate!

In reply to RosiePogue:

Hi Rosie

I have Haglund's, probably as a result of lots of running over the years. I don't have any pain from the actual deformity though. They won't go away on their own, and you won't get surgery in the UK unless you are in lots of pain and really debilitated. Your Haglund's will probably have developed over a number of years. It is not unknown in younger females (late teens onwards) who wear flat shoes ("pump bump" apparently). Surgery in the States is more common. You don't have to give up climbing, though you might need to buy a pair of shoes which you can tolerate. Your GP will recommend physiotherapy which will involve lots of stretching of the calf muscles. Eccentric calf raises have been particularly effective for me, and I have gone from hardly being able to walk to no problems at all after two years of stretching. Climbing will be excellent physio as you will do lots of calf stretching as you climb. I don't go barefoot round the house and garden anymore as it is better for me to wear a trainer or Crocs with a slight heel. So all in all, be patient, manage the Haglund's and keep climbing as much as the pain will allow. Maybe have three weeks off if the inflammation is really bad at the moment, and don't overdo it when you resume.

I would suggest lots of massage of the painful area with Ibuprofen gel (careful with the dose though!)

Best wishes

In reply to RosiePogue:


Get a better-fitting pair of shoes. Despite what some people might have told you, you don't have to have rock shoes fitted so tight that they're painful.

In reply to RosiePogue: I have this issue, have had to get rid of several pairs of boots and shoes after one wearing as they rubbed, but you can't tell this is the shop or the house easily. Get some rock shoes that are less tight, they don't need to be crippling!

In reply to RosiePogue:

It is not normal to wear shoes so tight they make your feet hurt (unless you want any number of podiatric problems later in life). Well fitting shoes are what you need, preferably a pair with a less aggressive angle at the achilles. If you are not climbing really hard my advice would be to wear socks with them to improve cushioning (stopping them stinking, keep the midges off etc).

In reply to RosiePogue:

This sounds distinctly like a heel bursitis to me. I've had exactly the same problem in the past, it's where your heel is swelling up with fluid to protect damaged tissue (probably) due to your boots impacting on the back of your achilles.

Basically, your shoes don't fit. Painful shoes are terrible, and you really don't need to downsize modern shoes hardly at all - just try lots of different brands until you find one that fits well. Personally I fit Evolve and Five Ten really well, and only have to go down 1/2 - 1 size at most.

Try and wear super soft shoes until the swelling goes down, ice/heat alternately and massage gently with ibuprofen gel. Then, when it has completely gone down, go buy some shoes that fit, and get rid of the old ones. Don't be tempted to start wearing them again afterwards or the swelling will just come right back.

In reply to RosiePogue:
I have had the same condition since my teens. Back in the day my aunty had the surgery but the lumps just came back over time. I have therefore just got on with it. I'm now in my (ahem) 40s, cramming my feet into tight climbing shoes all the while.
I think I'm more prone to blisters than other folk, otherwise things are fine. It may have been painful when I was younger (my memory is crap) but not once I stopped growing.
Jase

Edit: reading Peter's post again reminded me that I sometimes get a painful click in my achilles tendon when I am walking uphill. This only happens if I haven't been out for ages and goes away with the careful stretching he describes. (It may have nothing to do with my lumpy heels, of course.)

Thankyou for all the advice. Think I scared myself a bit by reading a lot of negative info before writing the post. So basically the best thing to do is: massage the area with ibrugel and wait for the inflammation to go down, calf stretches and obtain better fitting, non-crippling climbing shoes.

So the swelling will go away completely?

Thanks again so much!

In reply to RosiePogue:

Yep, sounds about right. If the swelling is indeed a bursitis then it will reduce in the fullness of time. Be patient, and don't scare yourself reading any more WebMD or similar. If the problem persists, get yourself to a doctor and they will sort you out in no time

In reply to RosiePogue:

I've had it since I was a kid. I've found that as long as the heels on my rockboots come up high enough at the back and don't actively dig in to my Achilles, then I'm ok.. I only actually realised the lumps were abnormal when I was about 18!!

In reply to RosiePogue:

I have it, it's a family thing - mother and sister too. Sister can't do long walks any more. I've started mixing a bit of jogging in with my cycling to try to keep my achilles from shortening. Mind you, I'm going to seek physio advice ...

In reply to RosiePogue:

GP to refer to Podiatrist initially, there shouldn't be any question of giving up climbing....it can be sorted usually very successfully.

In reply to RosiePogue:

As Alison says above, it is an inherited condition - I've got Haglunds from my mum and flat feet from my dad, Phillip Larkin was right !

My solution has been to put Dr Scholl moleskin patches on the insides of the heels of my climbing boots. This reduces the pressure and more importantly the friction which can inflame the bursa. Obviously avoid having shoes that are too tight, but for a couple of quid the patches are well worth a try

In reply to Chris the Tall:

I have these on both feet. Developed them about 3 years ago. mostly ok but they get inflamed and mega painful if my feet get really hot. Which they do if I'm strung out on the lead stressing out in the blazing sun. The pain really is unbearable. And definitely not ideal when your having a meltdown up a trad route!