Subcalcaneal bursitis

• this is an uncommon cause of inferior heel pain
• commoner in elderly with new shoes
• associated with a tender swelling under the calcaneum and is not aggravated by dorsiflexing the toes
• treatment of subcalcaneal bursitis with a conservative standard of care protocol of offloading orthotics, padding, icing, NSAIDs, and, if needed, corticosteroid injections, provide the greatest improvement in visual analogue scale and patient satisfaction.

Reference

1. Laws J et al. Treatment of Posterior Adventital Bursitis and Subcalcaneal Bursitis of the Calcaneus: A Retrospective Review of Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2025 Dec 24;10 (4)