A tiny hairline fracture has been diagnosed as the cause of heel problems that may rule out Adelaide defender Nathan Bock for the rest of the AFL season.

The Crows, who shored up their spot in the top eight with a come-from-behind victory over Hawthorn on Friday, remain hopeful that Bock could return as soon as their round 22 battle against Carlton.

He has been missing from the side since being troubled by the problem during their round 18 loss at Geelong.

But the nature of the injury is such that Bock must wait for the crack in the heel to mend, rather than undergo painkilling injections.

"There is a little hairline crack in the heel. Very difficult one to see, one scan didn't show it and another one did," said Crows football operations manager John Reid.

"So that's just really a matter of letting it heal, the specialist said it could happen quite quickly or sometimes it takes longer.

"There was a bit of swelling in there as well, now that seems to have gone and the pain is not as bad as it was.

"You can't actually get the needle in there to do it, so it's a healing situation."

Should the healing process be rapid, Bock will resume running early next week with a view to taking his place against the Blues.

"It won't be something we can put a definite time on but it's certainly from this time last week to now it's improved quite a bit," Reid said.

"By this stage next week we might be in a stage to see how it's going and he might be able to have a light run.

"On the good end the Carlton game, on the bad end, nothing."

Forward Brett Burton, meanwhile, has still not recovered from the corked buttock that caused him to miss the Hawthorn game.

Having tried to force the pace on the injury last week, Burton remains inconvenienced and will not play against West Coast on Saturday.

However, Reid had more encouraging words for young rookie Brodie Martin, whose promising start was cut down cruelly by a knee reconstruction several weeks ago.

Martin was elevated off the club's rookie list to play two games, and Reid said he would more than likely be included in the senior squad for 2010 despite the injury.

"When we take into account the draft and where it's at, Brodie compared to a fourth or fifth or third round pick, he's real good odds, good value," he said.

"I think his future's very secure with us."

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