Understanding Your Painful Heel Spurs
Heel spurs are deposits of calcium that form at the base of the heel, and which can cause quite a bit of heel pain. They are often associated with inflammation of the heel and while they are not dangerous themselves, they can make walking and standing difficult. In rare cases they may require surgery to remove, but often you can treat them at home or manage the pain of these spurs. Note a few quick facts about heel spurs and how to avoid them or treat them if they've already developed.
1. Avoiding heel spurs
Heel spurs are commonly caused by obesity and excess weight on the heel, so if you're obese, it's time to talk to your doctor about safely losing that weight. Heel spurs can also be caused by jogging, especially on hard surfaces and without proper foot protection. If you jog, be sure you have comfortable shoes that provide adequate cushioning and wear thick socks that also cushion your heels and absorb some of that impact. Try to jog on softer surfaces rather than the pavement as much as possible.
Another cause of heels spurs is standing for long periods of time, which puts weight and pressure on the heels. If you stand often during the course of the day, take breaks when you can and put your feet up to alleviate this pressure.
2. Treating heel spurs
If you've done everything you can to avoid heel spurs and they still form, you want to first talk to your doctor and arrange for an x-ray. This is to ensure that you do actually have heel spurs and not another problem that is causing pain in the heels. Your doctor may then recommend certain exercises that keep the heels healthy with good blood circulation, along with special shoes or orthotics that protect the heels. Cortisone injections can also protect the heels and encourage healing, and you may also get a prescription for the pain and swelling.
3. When surgery is necessary
Heel spurs may go away after you follow the treatment recommended by your doctor, but in rare cases you may need surgery to remove the spur. Your doctor, like McLean & Partners, may want you to try other methods for a full year before surgery is scheduled. However, if your heel spurs don't respond to other treatment or the pain is too great, your doctor may need to remove the spur and also alleviate the swelling of the foot and heel area with surgical intervention.