Q & A: Heel Spurs
Do You Have a Heel Spur?
Today let’s talk about a condition called heel spurs. Chances are (especially if you are a sports fan) you have heard of this condition before, but you may not know what a heel spur is.
If you think you are suffering from heel spurs, let's clear it up today so you can get an accurate idea of what you might be dealing with.
Why Does a Heel Spur Occur?
Heel spurs may occur for any number of reasons, including wearing ill-fitting footwear, putting an excess of pressure upon the heel for a prolonged period of time (common in athletes, especially runners who pound the pavement on a daily basis), or being overweight and thus putting undue pressure upon the heel.
Heel spurs form when calcium deposits create a bony protrusion under the heel bone. These spurs can be fairly long (sometimes up to a half-inch) and they can be quite painful.
Heel spurs may develop independently, or in some cases, they may point to something more, such as in cases of Achilles tendonitis or tendinosis.
What Are The Symptoms of A Heel Spur?
Heel Spurs Have Kept Some Of Our Top Professional Players On The Sidelines
The primary symptom of heel spurs is pain. This pain may be constant (chronic) or occur intermittently.
The pain often occurs when stress is put upon the ankle during activities such as running, jumping, or even walking. It can make participation in high-level or even recreational activities difficult.
The pain associated with heel spurs is usually not a result from the calcium deposit itself but rather from the resulting inflammation, which often develops about the soft tissue around the area of the spur.
People who are suffering from heel spurs may report the following:
Sharp pain when standing up suddenly, such as getting up in the morning or returning to standing after a prolonged period spent not standing
A duller, but noticeable, pain during everyday activities
These symptoms will usually continue until we treat the heel spur, either by making necessary adjustments (non-surgically), or, in some cases, by performing surgery to relieve the spur.
How Can I Prevent Heel Spurs?
Wearing proper footwear and maintaining a healthy weight may prevent foot & ankle problems such as heel spurs.
I always recommend wearing supportive shoes that fit well. It is important to wear shoes that provide the right level of support for your chosen activity and avoid shoes that are excessively worn or damaged.
For instance, when cycling, wear your cycling shoes. When playing basketball, wear your high tops. When walking, wear shoes with supportive arches and soles. And so on and so forth.
Stretching before activity can also help to prevent heel spurs. And in some cases, losing weight is recommended to lessen the strain upon the foot & ankle.
Keeping a healthy weight and making good footwear decisions can undoubtedly go a long way towards avoiding many of our most common foot & ankle conditions, including heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.
How Do Foot & Ankle Specialists Treat Heel Spurs?
Rest is always a good way to deal with any painful condition, at least to start.
However, in the case of heel spurs, rest often will not always do the trick.
We do have a few things we can try before we resort to surgery, however.
Stretching - A program of targeted stretching may relieve the inflammation caused by heel spurs.
Adjusting to Proper Footwear - As with many foot & ankle conditions, footwear should be carefully evaluated. Adjusting footwear or switching to custom orthotics or inserts may relieve some of the inflammation and pain associated with heel spurs.
Medication - In some cases, pain and inflammation may be relieved by over-the-counter medication such as Advil or Tylenol.
Injections - with a corticosteroid may also be an option relieve inflammation in the area.
When Would I Need Surgery For Heel Spurs?
Luckily, surgery for heel spurs is most often not necessary. However, there are cases when conservative treatment fails and we will choose to treat the condition surgically, the goal being to rid the patient of pain and restore the mobility and level of activity they enjoyed before developing the condition.
If it it is time to surgically remove a heel spur, we are well trained to do so and in most cases have excellent outcomes for the patient.
What Should I Expect In Terms of Recovery After Heel Spur Surgery?
You should expect a full recovery after this surgery, but post-surgery, we recommend observing the RICE Protocol for a time (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).
You may be required to use an apparatus such as a cane, boot, surgical shoe, or splint for a short time after surgery.
Why Should I Choose A Foot & Ankle Surgeon For Heel Spur Surgery?
As mentioned, the inflammation associated with heel spurs may actually be caused by another underlying condition. This is why I recommend visit a foot and ankle specialist (MD having completed a fellowship) rather than a podiatrist or even a general orthopaedist.
Our additional training and experience gives us the ability to diagnose and treat the entire leg, which operates as a system that is interconnected rather than isolated.
If you think you may be dealing with heel spurs, pay a visit to your local foot & ankle specialist or contact Team Elton for support.
We want to take the entire body into account when we start discussing surgical treatments for heel spurs.