Haglund’s deformity is a bony bump that forms at the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon meets the bone. The extra bone growth is often associated with heel irritation and other conditions like bursitis or tendonitis as the inflammation becomes more severe. The deformity affects the bone and the surrounding soft tissue.
Some refer to Haglund’s deformity as a “pump bump” because certain shoes with tight straps across the heel like high heels or pumps cause the bony growth and can worsen its symptoms. While anyone can develop the deformity, the abnormal bone growth is seen most commonly in people who frequently wear shoes that press up against the heel.
The deformity gets its name from the Swedish podiatrist Partick Haglund, who first described the bone deformity in 1927. Haglund’s deformity is not rare, but it is unknown how many people have the bone growth due to an underdiagnosis of the deformity.