- Heel Spur Treatment Guide
- Smelly Feet (Foot Odor)
- Poor Circulation (Peripheral Vascular Disease)
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- High Arch Foot (pes cavus)
- Heel Pain in Children
- Heel Pain
- Hammer Toe
- Gout
- Fungal Infections of the Skin
- Foot Pain
- Foot Corns & Callus (hyperkeratosis)
- Flat Feet
- Dry Skin On The Foot
- Diabetes Foot Care
- Cracked Heels
- Cold Feet
- Clubfoot (talipes equinovarus)
- Children's Foot Problems
- Chilblains (Pernio; perniosis)
- Charcot's Foot
- Burning Foot
- Bunions
- Arch Support
- Arch Pain
- Ankle Sprain
- Achilles Tendinitis
Heel Spur Treatment Guide
1 - What is a heel spur?
Heel spurs are common in patients who have a history of foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis. In the setting of plantar fasciitis, heel spurs are most often seen in middle-aged men and women but can be found in all age groups. The heel spur itself is not thought to be the primary cause of pain; rather, inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia is thought to be the primary problem. A heel spur diagnosis is made when an X-ray shows a hook of bone protruding from the bottom of the foot at the point where the plantar fascia is attached to the heel bone.
2 - How do we develop heel spurs?
The plantar fascia is a thick, ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the calcaneus (heel bone) to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue helps maintain the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. That's why tremendous stress is placed on the plantar fascia.
When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and degenerative (worn out)--these abnormalities can make normal activities quite painful. Symptoms typically worsen early in the morning after sleep. At that time, the plantar fascia is tight so even simple movements stretch the contracted plantar fascia. As you begin to loosen the plantar fascia, the pain usually subsides, but often returns with prolonged standing or walking.
Heel spurs form in some patients who have plantar fasciitis, and tend to occur in patients who have had the problem for a prolonged period of time. While about 70 percent of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur, X-rays also show about 50 percent of patients with no symptoms of plantar fasciitis also have a heel spur.
3 - What are the forms of Heel Spurs?
* Primary plantar fasciitis
* Secondary plantar fasciitis
Primary plantar fasciitis, results from a mechanical overload of the plantar fascia by the sum of intrinsic and extrinsic loads.
Secondary plantar fasciitis is the result of direct trauma to the fascia and systemic diseases, like arthritis, that may affect the attachment of the fascia to the heel bone (calcaneus).
We've seen how a 'heel spur' is not actually a bone problem, yet it is still important to have x-rays of the affected area.
Even though heel pain is primarily a result of soft tissue damage, there are several conditions that can also cause heel pain.
* Stress fractures
* Arthritis
4 - What are the most common types of treatment for plantar heel spurs?
Treatment of heel spurs is the same as treatment of plantar fasciitis because these problems are related.
The first step in the treatment of a heel spur is short-term rest and inflammation control. Here are the steps patients should take in order to cure the symptoms of plantar fasciitis and heel spurs:
* Rest
The first treatment step is avoiding activities that aggravate symptoms. For example, take a few days off jogging or prolonged standing to try to rest the painful foot. Just resting usually helps eliminate the most severe pain, and will allow the inflammation to begin to settle down.
* Apply Ice Packs
Icing will help diminish some of the symptoms and control the heel pain. Icing is especially helpful after an acute exacerbation of symptoms.
* Exercises and Stretches
Exercises and stretches are designed to relax the tissues that surround the heel bone. Some simple exercises, performed in the morning and evening, often help patients feel better quickly.
* Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Anti-inflammatory medications help control pain and decrease inflammation. Over-the-counter medications are usually sufficient, but prescription options are also available.
* Shoe Inserts
Shoe inserts are often the key to successful treatment of plantar fasciitis. The shoe inserts often permit patients to continue their routine activities without pain.
* Night Splints
Night splints are worn to keep the heel stretched out when you sleep. They prevent the arch of the foot from becoming contracted at night, and is hopefully not as painful in the morning.
These treatments alone will cure the plantar fasciitis pain in most patients. Be forewarned that the symptoms will not resolve quickly. Most patients find relief within about three months, and over 90 percent within one year.
If the pain does not resolve, an injection of cortisone can decrease the inflammation of plantar fasciitis. However, many physicians do not like to inject cortisone around the heel because potentially serious problems can happen due to cortisone injections in the heel area. The two problems that cause concern are fat pad atrophy and plantar fascial rupture. Both problems occur in a small percentage of patients, but they can worsen heel pain symptoms.
A new treatment for heel spurs chronic plantar fasciitis is being investigated. This treatment, called extracorporeal shock wave therapy, or ESWT, uses energy pulses to induce microtrauma to the tissue around the heel spur. This microtrauma is thought to induce a tissue repair process by the body. ESWT is recommended in patients who have failed the previously mentioned treatments, and are considering surgical options.
After successful treatment, how can I prevent heel spur pain from coming back?
To prevent the recurrence of heel spur symptoms after treatment, proper fitting footwear is essential. Many people use shoe inserts to relieve pressure over the tender area. Custom orthotics can also be made if there appears to be a problem with the mechanical structure of the foot. It is also important to continue the stretching and exercises. These simple exercises will help maintain the flexibility of the foot and prevent the plantar fasciitis pain from returning.
What if the symptoms of the heel spur do not resolve?
In a small number of cases (usually less than 5 percent), patients may not experience relief after trying the recommendations listed above. It is important that conservative treatments (such as those listed above) be performed for AT LEAST a year before considering surgery. Time is important in curing the pain from heel spurs, and insufficient treatment before surgery may subject you to potential complications from the procedure. If these treatments fail, your doctor may consider an operation to loosen the plantar fascia, called a plantar fascia release.
Because the diagnosis of heel spurs can be confused with tarsal tunnel syndrome (as described earlier), most surgeons advocate performing a tarsal tunnel release (or at least a partial tarsal tunnel release) along with the plantar fascia release. This surgery is about 80 percent successful in relieving pain in the small group of patients who do not improve with conservative treatments.