So I bailed off some 8′ high shore in France about 3 weeks ago and landed on my feet, and thought id bruised my heel. 3 weeks on and I still cant walk on it properly and it aches constantly, is it likely a break not a bruise?

The only good answer is always to see a doctor.

If my limited experience I would expect a break to be a pretty awful shade of purple by now. I believe you could be suffering from something less than a break still this long after… but despite the all round unpleasant experience of a visit to A&E, I really think you should make one anyway! 🙂

My mate broke his heel… I think you’d be in a lot more discomfort.

He spent a month in hospital. 7 months off work, still walks with a bit of a limp and can’t really run four years later.

My dad broke his heel a couple of years ago. I’m pretty sure you’d know if you had. Major operation to pin it back together, eight weeks in plaster, and then a limp for a long time.

Two years later he walks long distances normally but still gets a bit of pain. If you’re a smoker there’s a good chance the surgeons will refuse to operate due to the high probability of failure. So either a limp or walking stick for life. 🙁

Beyond about two weeks they can’t operate, so you’re better off getting yourself down to A+E pronto.

Get thee some expert medical advice. Nasty bone to break.

the heel ( calcaneius i think) is one big lump of bone and difficult to break more likely a fracture plus the amount of tissue pulling in different directions in that part of the foot is incredible so give it genuine rest quell any swelling with ice and/or asprin and if pain persists see a quack ( courtesy of what springs to mind from the former mrs tts surgery exams way back when.. of cours my memory could be bad or ankles may have changed in the passing of a score of years)

It’s not difficult to break. It’s very commonly broken. And It’s a particularly bad bone to break.

See a physio or find a doctor who can be bothered to check it. Don’t get fobbed off and walk on it for another 6 months until a physio mate tells you to get sorted. Well that is what I’d do if I had a time machine.

Sounds exactly what a mate did dropping from a sea wall onto a beach – didn’t realise it was such a drop and cracked his heel bone.
Definitely worth getting it x-rayed.

Fractured my heel when I bailed from a slipping ladder, bloody painful and badly bruised my toes from putting all the weight on them when walking

Get it x-rayed, still got problems where it mended on its own and a spur developed from the join

Were you wearing a helmet?

difficult to break more likely a fracture

Eh? Fracture = posh(ish) word for break.

Calcaneus fractures are nasty. I’ve never seen one where the person had been able to walk immediately afterwards, properly or otherwise. Stranger things have happened though, so if you are worried, an a&e is probably a better place to get advice than a mountain bike forum, even if you do have to wait longer…

Up a ladder?

ive had a heel problem for 7 months now..and had to walk on it…i since got fed up of the constant pain like a massive bruise…ive had heel inserts inside my shoes to remedy the problem but didnt work… i had a cortisone injection the other day (hell fire its the worst injection ive ever had in my life….i nearly shot up to the ceiling and didnt come back dwon….wow it realy did hurt….4 days later im still in pain.. looking like its plantar facitiis…… i get pain in the other foot too…god im falling to bits..lol

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Plantar-Fasciitis.htm

I did a similar thing – although not as high. My wife strongly sugested that I should go to A&E.

I went in expecting an X-ray, but the nurse prodded it hard and said “if it was broken we’d be peeling you off the ceiling right now”. Top diagnostics!

But it was better in a week or so so you should probably get it looked at.

I smashed my heel 8 1/2 years ago. Still fu@*ing hurt’s all the time!
Here is my x-ray, which i am quite proud of. 8)