Heel?

**123ski** · 01-14-2008, 11:47 PM

So, I know a bunch of you have hurt your calcaneus or whatever, I was wondering if I did the same. I was in PC today, and I cased the same jump twice, the first time I cased it at 450 the second time i cased it forward
Anyway, it was table for in the new KC park at PC, and when I landed it pretty much felt like somebody shot me in the ankle with a gun. I skied out of it, over to the side of the run, and just rolled around in pain while people stared at me, I started laughing so they would leave me alone, (little did they know how much pain I really felt), I ended up skiing down to the car (trying to stay on my left ski as much as possible) and when I got to the car I thought I would die taking my boot off (at this point I thought it was my ankle still). I took off my boot and it didn't hurt too bad. I got in the car and took off my sock and I didn't see too much damage and my ankle didn't really hurt. But I couldn't stand on my foot. This is when I found out that it was my heel that hurt. I got home and my right heel was quite a bit bigger than my left heel. I ended up working all night, keeping my foot up for a while, and I took Ibuprofein. Some of the inflamation has now gone down, but I am still walking on my toes only on my right foot. Now, after having told you this story, do you think my calc is broken, fractured, bruised or what????

**Vinman** · 01-15-2008, 04:57 PM

impossible to tell from here. You should get it looked at and possibly x-rayed.

**123ski** · 01-21-2008, 01:41 PM

So it has been a week now. I got an x-ray and the doctor at instacare said it wasn't broken. He said if it isn't better in 2 weeks to come back. I still can't put any pressure on my heel or I feel like I will collapse. I am occasionally icing it and occasionally using anti-inflamatories (ibuprofien) but it doesn't seem to be getting better. Sure there have been some improvements. I can now rest my foot on the ground when I am sitting on a chair and I can sometimes walk without limping, but for the most part it hurts bad enough not to ski and it is dumping feet outside my house right now. Has anyone had any experience with this?

**JimmyCarter** · 01-21-2008, 02:00 PM

Only thing I've had that sounds similar (at least pain-wise) was plantar fascitis, but I think it's more of a repetitive stress injury than a one-time impact injury
http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/plan...l&METHOD=print

**Vinman** · 01-21-2008, 06:47 PM

if there is no fracture then I would be looking at something like a very bad fat pad contusion or a tear (partial or complete) of the plantar fascia. Either way you should see someone about that. I'd opt for the ortho referral if possible instead of the urgent care docs.

**123ski** · 01-21-2008, 07:02 PM

Yeah, I actually went to the doctor on wednesday, so it has already been like 5 days since I went to him and I am surprised it still hurts. I guess I might have to go see a specialist.

**123ski** · 01-22-2008, 03:29 PM

So, I thought it might be PF too, except it only hurts on the inside edge of my heel. I have a size 11 shoe and cram my foot into a size 8 boot, which I guess could have caused a bone spur. Nevertheless, I got x-rays that say it isn't broken (I thought I broke my heel at first). It has been about a week now and I notice that my heel still feels swollen (although now I think the swollen spot might be a bone spur). I just tried putting my foot in my ski boot for the first time and it hurt pretty bad. I also noticed that exactly where my lump is on my heel, there was a piece of loose foam from my ski boot liner that was obviously torn loose by my orthotic. Could my orthotic be putting pressure on my heel and causing a heel spur, and the reason it hurt so bad is that my orthotic slammed into that spot when I cased the jump?

**JimmyCarter** · 01-22-2008, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by 123ski

So, I thought it might be PF too, except it only hurts on the inside edge of my heel. I have a size 11 shoe and cram my foot into a size 8 boot, which I guess could have caused a bone spur. Nevertheless, I got x-rays that say it isn't broken (I thought I broke my heel at first). It has been about a week now and I notice that my heel still feels swollen (although now I think the swollen spot might be a bone spur). I just tried putting my foot in my ski boot for the first time and it hurt pretty bad. I also noticed that exactly where my lump is on my heel, there was a piece of loose foam from my ski boot liner that was obviously torn loose by my orthotic. Could my orthotic be putting pressure on my heel and causing a heel spur, and the reason it hurt so bad is that my orthotic slammed into that spot when I cased the jump?

Did the xray show any spurs?

One possible explanation, though I hope not for your sake:
Plantar Fascia Rupture:

Tears of the plantar fascia are a less commonly found injury than either a heel spur or plantar fasciitis. They usually involve larger and more abrupt forces than the forces which allow for plantar fasciitis to develop. High speed activity develop these forces more often. The force needs to be applied to the ball of the foot. Sprinting places the foot in a position in which this could happen. Soft shoes that bend in the arch may contribute. Plantar fascia tears may also occur in baseball or softball players when sliding in to a base with the foot making contact with the base. Injections of steroid into the region of the plantar fascia may increase the likelihood of this injury.

The tear usually happens further forward than where the pain of plantar fasciitis usually occurs. It is often found 2 to 4 centimeters in front of the attachment of the plantar fascia into the calcaneus (heel bone). The patient will often recall feeling or hearing a "pop". When examined there may be pain when the toes are passively bent upwards (dorsiflexed). The usual treatment for this injury is non-weight bearing for 1 - 3 weeks in a cast and total casting for about 4 - 6 weeks. Full recovery will take 7 to 12 weeks.

**123ski** · 01-22-2008, 04:06 PM

[QUOTE=JimmyCarter;1648774]Did the xray show any spurs?

I hope that it isn't the PF. The doctor didn't mention anything about bone spurs, but then again, this was an instacare doctor more worried about my heel being broken than anything. Also in my experience a a heel x-ray is usually done from the bottom up, but since this was instacare they took one from the top and one from either side, which could make a heel spur on the bottom inside edge of my heel not very visible to a non-specialist...right?

**JimmyCarter** · 01-22-2008, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by 123ski

I hope that it isn't the PF. The doctor didn't mention anything about bone spurs, but then again, this was an instacare doctor more worried about my heel being broken than anything. Also in my experience a a heel x-ray is usually done from the bottom up, but since this was instacare they took one from the top and one from either side, which could make a heel spur on the bottom inside edge of my heel not very visible to a non-specialist...right?

I think it sounds more like PF, just because of the location and the type of pain. Hope its just a spur, but either way sounds like you've got a month or so off.

My buddy is currently going through his residencies for podiatry, I'll check with him and see if he can offer any insight.

**123ski** · 01-22-2008, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by JimmyCarter

I think it sounds more like PF, just because of the location and the type of pain. Hope its just a spur, but either way sounds like you've got a month or so off.

My buddy is currently going through his residencies for podiatry, I'll check with him and see if he can offer any insight.

yo dude, that would be sweet if you did that. Let me know. Thanks man.

**Vinman** · 01-22-2008, 07:31 PM

a tear to the plantar fascia would couase significant swellling and pain just in front of the heel and into the arc. A fat pad contusion would be painful directly on the heel.

**JimmyCarter** · 01-22-2008, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Vinman

a tear to the plantar fascia would couase significant swellling and pain just in front of the heel and into the arc. A fat pad contusion would be painful directly on the heel.

I was thinking PF because he said inside part of the heel, but I'm by no means an expert on the matter, just going off personal experience with having to walk around like I just left the shawshank shower. I think bruised heel sounds more in line with the impact that caused it too.

**Vinman** · 01-23-2008, 06:26 PM

no worries jimmy, I was not slagging on you just giving more info. SOunds more like a heel contusion to me too but a tear to the PF is not out of the question.

**123ski** · 01-26-2008, 11:06 AM

So I went skiing last night, my heel still hurt but I couldn't take it anymore. I Just slid a few rails, I didn't want to jump on it. The first box I slid, I came off and when I hit the ground it hurt really bad. After that the longer I skied the better my heel felt. Now this morning it hurts pretty bad, but I think I will ski on it again today (I will just be camera man). Do you think it is okay to ski on. My theory is that I contused the fat pad and now skiing on it I am just breaking up the constusion...who knows though. Also, I have Dr. Scholls heel pads in my shoes. If I were to take the orthotic out of my ski boots and put in the old liner, do you think I could wear the heel shock pads in my ski boots for a while?

**123ski** · 02-17-2008, 08:09 PM

Alright, so I didn't ski for about 1.5 weeks after this injury, then it started to snow so much, and I could walk a little so I decided to ski on it, it didn't hurt too bad so I dealt with it, the more I skied the better it started to feel, After about 2.5 weeks after the injury I started sliding rails but some landings even off of rails hurt really bad. I didn't dare jump. I hit a few really small tables, but nothing exciting, After 3.5-4 weeks (just this friday) I finally started jumping again, the pain was still lingering, but it didn't hurt when I was hitting the smaller 10-20 foot tables. I was spinning, learning a few new grabs with my spins and it all felt good. I was demoing a pair of Jon Olsson pro models, and was having a really fun time. I watched a few people hit the top jump in upper Jonesy's park at PC for a while (about 50 feet or more), I took one turn going into the table and came up 1 foot short. The pain is now worse than ever. Instead of being localized to the outside edge of my heel. the pain starts there, and then curves up behind my achilles tendon and down around the bottom of my heel. The skin around my achilles tendon looks kind of wrinkly and purple (especially in the morning) which isn't to say that it hurts worse in the morning, but it just looks worse in the morning. I am having a hard time walking if I don't stay on my toes. I know you are all going to probably say "go to a doctor" but I am scared that it is serious this time, Also, if you tell me to go do a doctor, please tell me which kind to go to, thanks!

**Vinman** · 02-18-2008, 06:59 PM

Go see your doctor..... sorry had to be done.

For starters your family doc would be fine to see if you need an x-ray. If you have insurance and don't need a referral you could go straight for the ortho providing they don't have huge wait....

**123ski** · 02-18-2008, 09:57 PM

Do you think I should wait a few days to see how it goes or just go to the doctor and get it over with?

**booner** · 02-19-2008, 05:21 PM

If it is a bruised heel it most likely will take months to heal. I grew up skiing EC bumps and this happened to me quite a few times. Of course I never stopped skiing and it would hurt(bad) for the rest of the year basically.

**123ski** · 03-02-2008, 02:49 AM

My orthopedic surgeon will see me in 13 days, it still hurts right now so we will see what he has to say, I hope it isn't my plantarus or something else severe.

**123ski** · 03-21-2008, 03:10 PM

So, I got a CT scan, it turns out I have an incomplete fracture in my heel, an older chip in my heel, and possibly a messed up ankle, but since the ankle doesn't hurt we aren't going to worry about it right now, even though it looks abnormal on both the x-ray and CT scan. So, I guess I should have taken all of your advice earlier and gone to a specialist. I can't jump for a while.