What is Haglund’s deformity?

Haglund’s deformity is a bony growth on your heel bone (calcaneus) where your Achilles tendon attaches. The growth causes a bump you can see and feel through your skin.

Haglund’s deformity can cause heel pain, especially when you wear shoes that press tightly against the back of your heel. Over time, pressure and irritation on the growth can cause other conditions in your heel and feet, including Achilles tendinitis and heel bursitis.

It’s usually treated with heel cups, orthotic inserts, changing the shoes you wear and over-the-counter medicines to alleviate pain.

It’s rare to need surgery to remove the growth caused by Haglund’s deformity, but some people need it if other treatments don’t relieve pain and other symptoms.

How common is Haglund’s deformity?

Haglund’s deformity is very common, but it’s hard for experts to estimate exactly how many people have it at any one time. Many people with mild (or no) symptoms never get their heel pain diagnosed as Haglund’s deformity.

Symptoms and Causes

What are Haglund’s deformity symptoms?

Symptoms of Haglund’s deformity include:

Heel pain.
A bump on the back of your heel that you can see and feel.
Swelling.
Skin discoloration around the bump.
Haglund’s deformity almost always develops on both feet (bilaterally).

What causes Haglund’s deformity?

Experts don’t know for certain what causes Haglund’s deformity. Studies have found that it might be genetically inherited (passed down through generations of a biological family).

Other causes might include:

Irritation and pressure from shoes.
Overusing your heel (especially in athletes like runners).
High-arched feet.
Tight Achilles tendons.
Certain gait disorders that affect how you move and walk.

Thanks to Cleveland Clinic for the information above (clevelandclinic.org). Further information about Haglund’s deformity can be found on the Cleveland Clinic website