What are Heel spurs?

What are Heel spurs?

Some of the facts of heel spur:  Heel spurs is visible on the X-ray as a an outgrowth of a pointed bone from the bone of the heel which is known as the calcaneus bone  Heel spurs which are formed in the plantar area; which is the sole of the feet is linked with plantar fasciitis  Heel spurs which are formed on the back of the heel are linked with Achilles tendonitis  Heel spurs can be formed alone or will be linked with some other diseases  The treatment of heel spurt is to reduce the pain or inflammation and prevent any further injury What is a heel spur?

A heel spur is the deposit of calcium which causes the bone to project in the underside of the heel. A heel spur can extend to almost half inch and will be visible on the X-ray. In some cases there will be no evidence on the X-ray and such a condition is at times known as ‘heel spur syndrome’.

Mostly heel spurs are painless, but in certain cases it can cause heel pain. This is often linked with plantar fasciitis, which is a condition in which there is painful swelling of the fibrous band of the plantar fascia, which runs along in the bottom of the feet and connects the heel bone with the ball of the feet.

The treatment of heel spurs and the other conditions associated with this problem are exercises, customized orthotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone injections. If the conservative treatment options do not solve the problem then there might be a need for a surgery.

What are the causes of heel spurs?

Heel spurs are formed with buildup of calcium deposits on the underside of the heel bone. This is a condition which develops over a period of time which can extend to a few months.

Heel spurs are mostly caused due to strain on the foot muscles and ligaments, stretching of the plantar fascia and continuous wear and tear of the membrane that covers the heel bone. This condition is very commonly seen among athletes whose sport involves lot of running and jumping.

What are the risk factors of heel spurs?

Some of the risk factors of heel spurs are as follows;    

Walking gait abnormality - in this there is tremendous stress on the heel bone, ligaments and nerves which are close to the heel Running or jogging, particularly on hard surfaces Bad fitted shoes or shoes worn inappropriately, particularly those which lack arch support Overweight and obesity

Some of the other risk factors linked with plantar fasciitis are as follows;    

Old age, which reduces the plantar fascia flexibility and thins the protective fat pad of the heel Diabetes Spending long hours standing Flat feet or high arches

What are the symptoms of heel spurs?

In many cases heel spurs don’t cause any symptoms. However, heel spurs can lead to irregular or constant pain, mainly while walking, jogging or running.

Normally the pain is not due to the heel spur but because of the soft-tissue injury which is linked to this problem.

Many people define the heel spur pain and plantar fasciitis as a knife or pin pricking on the bottom of the feet when they stand up in the morning. Then later in the day the pain reduces to a dull ache. And the pain reoccurs while standing after a long period of time.

How are heel spurs detected?

The sharp pain experienced by the patient near the heel is sufficient for the doctor to diagnose a heel spur. But the doctor will ask the patient to do an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis of a heel spur.

What are the treatment options for heel spurs?

Mostly heel spurs can be treated with some simple remedies and medications.

But if there is no cure, then the patient will have to undergo a surgery.

Non-Surgical treatments for heel spurs: Normally the heel pain which is associated with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis may not be cured by taking rest. If a person with heel spur walks or stands

after sleeping, the pain will get worse because the plantar fascia stretches and pulls on the heel. The pain may reduce the more the person walks. But the pain will reoccur after taking rest for long or excessive walking.

If a person experiences heel pain which extends for more than a month, then he/she must consult a doctor to detect the cause of the pain. Some of the conservative treatment options the doctor will suggest are;     

Specific stretching exercises Particular type of shoes Tapping of the stressed muscles and tendons to give them some relief and rest Shoe inserts or customized orthotic devices Physical therapy

The heel pain can be treated with some over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen, naproxen etc. In some cases, a customized orthotic device can be enough to reduce the cause of heel and arch pain like biomechanical imbalances. And in some cases, the patient is given an injection with corticosteroid to reduce the inflammation in the affected area of the heel.

Surgery for heel spurs: In 90 percent of the cases the patients see improvement with the non-surgical treatments. But if the conservative treatment options are not able cure the patient, even after following it for more than a year, then surgery will be the only option. The surgery will help give relief from the heel pain and restore the mobility of the foot. Some of the surgical techniques are - releasing the plantar fascia or removing of the spur.

Before conducting the surgery, the patient will have to undergo some tests and examinations to check if the surgery can be performed. And also it is essential to strictly follow the post-surgical suggestions regarding rest, ice compression, how the foot should be raised and when can weight be placed on the operated foot etc. In some scenarios, the patient will have to make use of bandages, casts, surgical shoes, crutches, cranes post the surgery.

Some of the complications of a heel surgery are nerve pain, reoccurrence of heel pain, permanent numbness of the affected area, infection and scarring.