A Rare Case of Calcaneal Osteochondroma: Case Report

Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor, but its occurrence in the calcaneum is extremely rare. Delayed diagnosis is common due to its atypical location.

We report a 19-year-old male student who presented with a 2-year history of bony hard swelling, pain, and discomfort on walking over the inferomedial aspect of the right heel. On examination, there was a 5 × 5 cm bony hard swelling, non-tender, non-mobile, with intact overlying skin and no joint restriction. Radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a pedunculated lesion measuring 4.3 × 3.5 × 2.8 cm arising from the calcaneum, with cortex-medullary continuity and a cartilage cap thickness of 4.9 mm. The lesion was excised through a medial approach, and intraoperatively measured 4.5 × 3.5 × 3.0 cm. Histopathology confirmed osteochondroma. The post-operative course was uneventful; full weight-bearing was achieved by 4 weeks. At 6-month follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic, fully functional, and with no evidence of recurrence.

Osteochondroma of the calcaneum is rare, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic heel swelling and pain. Complete surgical excision yields an excellent outcome with minimal recurrence risk.