Move without pain
Book an assessment todayPain and swelling at the back of the heel, often made worse by the rub of a shoe. We calm the inflamed bursa, take the pressure off, and address what set it off.
Where heel bursitis is felt
Back of the heel, at the bone. Where the bursa is compressed between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone.
Does this sound like you?
A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction where tendon meets bone. Near the heel, the retrocalcaneal bursa sits between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone. When it's compressed or irritated — often by footwear, a bony prominence, or an overloaded Achilles — it becomes inflamed and swollen: heel bursitis.
It's felt at the back of the heel (not underneath), and shoes that press or rub on that spot usually make it worse. It often travels together with Achilles tendon problems, so we assess both.
The key is taking pressure off the bursa while settling the inflammation and fixing the underlying driver.
The right combination of tools for your feet — not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
We identify the bursa as the source and check the Achilles and heel shape that may be contributing.
Changing what presses on the bursa is often the single biggest relief — we'll show you how.
Small changes that reduce compression on the bursa and Achilles.
Adjusting load — especially hills and speed — while the bursa settles.
For stubborn cases, particularly where the Achilles is also involved.
High-intensity (Class IV) laser for stubborn cases — currently only at Maroochydore. Learn more →
They sit right next to each other and often occur together. Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid sac (usually with visible swelling and shoe-rub pain), while tendinopathy is irritation of the tendon itself. We check for both.
The back of many shoes presses directly on the inflamed bursa, so changing footwear or how the heel sits in the shoe is often the fastest way to relieve it.
With pressure taken off and the cause addressed, many cases improve over a few weeks. Stubborn cases linked to the Achilles or heel shape can take longer.
Usually it's a clinical diagnosis. We refer for ultrasound or an X-ray if the diagnosis is unclear or we suspect a bony prominence is contributing.
