What is a heel spur? The calcaneal spur is a small bone growth with a sharp tip located on the plantar region of the calcaneus. This disease can develop in any person, regardless of age or gender. Only one foot or both can be affected at a time. The size of the heel spur ranges from 3 to 12 mm. In this case, the intensity of pain is associated more with the location of the growth, and not with its size. The closer the spur is in relation to the nerve endings, the more severe the pain will be.
Calcaneal spur can be diagnosed using ultrasound and x-rays. In the picture, you will see a formation resembling a beak or spike in shape, which compresses the soft tissues of the foot and causes pain.
Calcaneal spur: symptoms.
The main symptom of this disease is severe heel pain that occurs during exertion. At first, it manifests itself when getting out of bed in the morning or after prolonged sitting. Moreover, during the day the pain subsides. Then, with the further development of the disease, the pain becomes permanent, regardless of the time of day or body position.
With a heel spur, a person tries not to load the heel as much as possible, as a result of which the center of gravity is transferred to the outer or forefoot, and the gait changes.
Also, in the calcaneal region, corns and edema can form.
The causes of the disease.
If you think that you have a heel spur (the symptoms of which are described above), then you should find out the causes of this disease. First of all, a flat foot gives a certain load on the heel, since the load and the center of gravity are shifted.
Overweight also plays a huge role. Increased body weight too stresses the foot.
Calcaneal spur may occur due to disturbances in the circulatory system, as well as in the presence of chronic and acute foot injuries.
Often, with a heel spur, the symptoms are not caused by the growth itself, but by inflammatory processes that occur in the soft tissues.
How to treat heel spur?
Treatment of such an unpleasant disease is prescribed based on the causes of its appearance, as well as on the basis of the severity of symptoms. There are several treatment methods:
- Drug therapy. It is designed to eliminate inflammatory processes, significantly reducing pain, by applying gels and ointments to the affected area. Steroid injections into the affected area are often used. From this procedure you can expect fairly quick results, but it is very painful.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures. Among them, the most commonly used ones are UHF, magnetotherapy, phonophoresis, laser exposure.
- Massage and therapeutic exercises.
- Orthopedic insoles.
- Folk remedies as an auxiliary factor.
- Surgical intervention.
Calcaneal spur, the symptoms of which often appear suddenly, can resolve itself if certain preventive measures are followed in the early stages:
- Walk in soft, comfortable shoes. Try not to wear high-heeled shoes, sandals without a backdrop and shoes with a narrowed toe.
- Do exercises that prevent the occurrence of flat feet. If this problem has already arisen, wear special orthopedic insoles or shoes.
- Rest actively.
- Pay attention to the condition of the spine and joints.
- More often walking barefoot on sand or grass, doing massage treatments.
Now that you know what the heel spurs, symptoms and their treatment are, you can turn to the orthopedist in time, who will quickly save you from such unpleasant sensations.