Heel Bursitis Exercises to Avoid - Do This Instead

The typical heel bursitis exercises that people get prescribed are calf stretches ... but these will just make your heel bursitis worse. Sports physio Maryke Louw explains why this is and provides some alternatives for making that tight feeling in your calves go away while your heel bursitis gets better.

👉 Some of the stuff mentioned in the video that can help you to get rid of your heel bursitis:

📽️ Other videos you may find useful:

📚Chapters in this video:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:43 What is heel bursitis?
00:01:01 Calf stretches for heel bursitis?
00:02:55 Stop stretching!
00:03:46 Adjust your movements
00:04:49 Observe what happens
00:05:12 What to do instead
00:06:23 How we can help

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Reference:
Brukner & Khan et al. (2016) CLINICAL SPORTS MEDICINE: INJURIES, VOL. 1

[TreatMyAchilles]

👉 Some of the stuff mentioned in the video that can help you to get rid of your heel bursitis:
If you buy anything via these links, we may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

[stevemcgrath]

Thank you very much! This is excellent and explains why my pain gets worse following the stretches that I was told to do.

[michellemaine]

Thank you so much for this. I have been struggling with this since July. At first I thought it was tendonitis, but I think bursitis is more likely (from palpating everything and where the most painful area is). I have rested, applied topical diclofenac, used red light treatment, use shoe insoles, stopped walking barefoot (even though I LOVE it ). Nothing has resolved the issue. I really hope to be able to start longer nature walks again in the spring because they are absolutely vital for my mental health. In the meantime, I am at least swimming a couple of times a week at my local pool.

[mikemizzy]

With the bursa inflamed is an Achilles rupture more susceptible?

Do you recommend icing/ice baths? And how often?

Been dealing with it for years and rest is the only way to treat for me.

Hard for me to really pin point what’s triggering it. Seems to me that it gets triggered randomly and it can happen to left or right foot but luckily hasn’t happen to both feet at same time.

Appreciate your help/feedback

Thanks for videos

[Hackenporsche]

Thank you so much! My doctor insisted on the stretching, but it gets worse every time. And I felt it must be wrong as I have been doing those exercises for years, my calves are not especially tight, and it is never a good idea to massage an inflammation.
Need to watch the other videos now - and buy new shoes. My shoes are all flat.

[akab]

Thanks for the help. Now I understand what's going on

[AngelHeart-koji]

Thanks for this I saw a physio who gave me a sheet of exercises all stretches, i persevered with them for months before finding an ultrasound tech who found bursitis. All those months of stretching have made everything worse. Im so frustrated.

[Trinity-wear]

It all makes sense now. I thought it was due to tight calves so I started hammering the calf stretch in down dogs in Yoga. Also I started doing standing calf stretches. It only seemed to get worse so I thought I wasnt trying hard enough. Looking back I think it all started when I bought my dog walking shoes that have a very hard heel. I'll go for 90min dog walks. I think I'll ease off the down dogs in Yoga & try different shoes for a few months and see what happens.

[travelpackgamerz]

I got this one recently it’s pain when walking. It’s been 3 days now, don’t know how to solve it. I never do hardcore workouts before, it’s just suddenly pain. Because of this really difficult when I go work. I think long ago this pain it seems appears but heal naturally. But now come again..

[GilbertS-pt]

This makes so much sense. My doctor and even multiple feet doctors could not figure it out. Idiots. I keep telling them that what they're asking me to do isn't solving the problem. That there's a ball on the bottom of my foot, it feels like I'm walking on a rock all day long. They just keep telling me yeah, that's plantar fasciitis. Damn lazy doctors.

[angieavina]

I’ve been suffering for 10 years. I had heel calcifications removed and a haglund removed. Severals shots of cortisone on my plantar. Dr thought maybe it was fracture and put me in a boot for six weeks.But still having occasional pain when barefoot. Why hasn’t this gotten any better?

[prabs]

Hello Ma'am, I have a question about Intrasubstance tear in brevis tendon and Grade 1 ATFL tear..I know it ain't an Achilles injury but your guidance and advice will be really helpful. I had twisted my ankle back in April 2024. But I was able to play though the pain and then the following also I was able to play football without much symptoms. But gradually symptoms started showing. Certain movements pained. So In July, had a MRI done. It showed Intrasubstance tear in brevis tendon and Grade 1 ATFL tear and mild joint effusion in subtalar. The doctor wanted to put me in a cast for a month. But the pain was not that bad. I was able to walk properly. So I decided to put ankle brace and stay away from football. But now is September and still sometimes it hurts in brevis tendon. Do I need surgery???Please advice and guide.

[heldergonsalves]

I took 1 pill cipro and gave tendonitis, I only feel pain in my Achilles tendons, Can I lift weights sitting on hair, Do push ups, brench press while waiting ?