Approximately 38% of people have a heel spur: a bony protrusion on the bottom of the heel bone. The protrusion, which is also known as an osteophyte or calcaneal spur, can be up to half an inch in length and appear hooked, pointed or shelflike in shape.
A podiatrist or other doctor can diagnose heel spur once they have X-ray evidence of the condition. Without that evidence, they can only diagnose “heel spur syndrome.”
Unfortunately, your body can provide plenty of its own evidence that you have a heel spur. Symptoms commonly include:
- Sharp, knife-like pain upon rising out of bed
- Dull, aching pain that persists throughout the day
- Tenderness that causes difficulty walking barefoot
- Swelling, inflammation and heat around the heel
- A visible protrusion on the underside of the heel
If you have noticed these symptoms and suspect you have a heel spur, then you likely wonder how it happened – and what you can do to treat it. Let’s press on!
Causes of Heel Spurs
A heel spur forms when excess calcium deposits itself on the underside of the calcaneus (i.e. heel bone). This typically occurs when:
- The plantar fascia is stretched
- The foot muscles and/or ligaments are strained
- The membrane covering the heel bone has repeatedly torn
Many cases of heel spur appear to have no discernible cause. With that said, several risk factors for the condition have been identified. These include:
- Obesity
- Overtraining
- Bowed knees
- Abnormal gait
- Pronation of the foot
- Leg length discrepancy
- Jogging on hard surfaces
- Muscle dysfunction and/or imbalance
- Wearing poorly fitted or worn out shoes
- Wearing shoes with inadequate arch support, such as sandals
Treatments for Heel Spur
Heel spurs aren’t the sole cause of heel pain. In several instances, a good night’s rest is all it takes to make heel pain go away. But if rest doesn’t help – and the pain persists longer than four weeks – then you would be well advised to seek orthopedic care.
Few podiatrists would recommend surgery as an initial treatment for heel spur. Instead they might advise one or more of the following:
- Night splints
- Taping/strapping
- More supportive footwear
- Special exercises or physical therapy
- Prescription orthotics, or over-the-counter shoe inserts
- Over-the-counter pain medication, such as Tylenol or Advil
Nonsurgical treatments can help the vast majority of people recover from heel spur. But if your symptoms don’t improve after 12 months, then your podiatrist may prescribe surgery. Outright removal of the spur is the most common surgical treatment. Alternatively, you may receive a plantar fasciotomy: a procedure that loosens tension in the plantar fascia ligament by partially cutting it.
Don’t Let Heel Spur Slow You Down
If you have any reason to suspect you have a heel spur, then you have every reason to seek immediate podiatric care. The condition can worsen without treatment, and may ultimately make walking very difficult.
If you live in the Twin Cities metro, then you have already discovered your best source for foot care. Contact Twin Cities Foot & Ankle Clinic today to schedule a consultation at our Golden Valley clinic with Dr. Timothy Felton or Dr. Judith Sperling. We will help you walk comfortably again, and reduce your risk of needing surgery in the future!