Heel Spurs
If you think heel spurs are little silver jangly things cowboys wear on their boots, this page is for you.
A heel spur is a bony growth (calcium deposit) that develops on the underside of the heel bone. It typically forms as a response to repetitive stress, muscle strain, and inflammation of the ligament connecting your heel to your toes (plantar fascia).
A heel spur is the body's natural defense mechanism against ongoing tension or damage to the soft tissues of the foot, with a common trigger being plantar fasciitis.
Many people have heel spurs and do not realize it because they are often painless.
Diagnosing
To diagnose heel spurs, we first discuss your symptoms and daily activity. We take x-rays in office to review your bone structure and review prominences we see on the heel.
Symptoms
Common symptoms we see among patients with posterior tibial tendonitis are:
Pain: Ache or throbbing along the inside of the ankle and the arch of the foot, which usually worsens with prolonged standing, walking, or running.
Swelling: Possible puffiness and warmth around the inner ankle.
Arch Collapse: Weakening of the tendon over time can lead to flattened arches.
Weakness: Difficulty or pain when performing a single-leg heel raise or "pushing off" the ground
Treatment
If you have a condition such as plantar fasciitis that is causing bone spurs, we will take steps to treat that first.
Treatment options for bone spurs can include rest, elevation, icing, stretches, anti-inflammatory medications, laser therapy, orthotics, a change of shoes, and corticosteroid injections to decrease pain and swelling.
They can also be surgically removed, but this is only done as a last resort after other more conservative treatments have been used.
Prevention
Preventing heel spurs involves maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your feet. Some preventative measures include:
Wearing supportive footwear and custom orthotics.
Avoiding high-impact activities that put excessive strain on the feet.
Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce pressure on the heels.
Incorporating stretching exercises into your routine to keep the plantar fascia flexible.