5 Things to Know About Heel Spurs

Heels suits are a foot condition that is caused by a bony-like growth which is called a calcium deposit and it stretches between your arch and your heel bone. They often start in the form or underneath your heel and then make their way and affect other parts of your feet. Sometimes it is not visible to the naked eye. That is why diagnosing it can be quite a challenge. They don't necessarily cause pain always and not all heel pains are related to this. 

Heel Spur Symptoms

Most common symptoms that indicate a heel spur is:

• Pain
• Swelling 
• Inflammation
• Warm to the touch

Some of these symptoms might spread to the arch of your foot and the small bony-like growth might become visible. But what you have to consider is that some heel spurs don't have symptoms at all. That is why heel spurs are discovered and truly diagnosed through X-rays. 

What Causes Heel Spurs?

Heel spurs are linked to long-term muscle and ligament strains because excessive strain stresses the heel bone which causes the spurs. They also develop over time, so they don't suddenly appear after doing physical activity. Heel spurs usually happen because of ignoring early symptoms such as heel pains. 

Common causes of heel spurs can be things such as constant stress from running, jumping and even stress from walking. But they can also develop from not wearing the right shoes. A few other things that can cause heel spurs are:

• Arthritis
• Excess body weight
• Not wearing proper shoes

Heel Spur Diagnosis

Heel spurs are really difficult to diagnose without medical assistance. That is because as we have mentioned before it is not usually visible to the naked eye and its symptoms are similar to other foot problems. Heel spurs are detected through X-rays, and that is why it is essential to see a professional if you are experiencing any symptoms. Because doctors can't send everyone with heel pain to get an X-ray, they will do some testing before to ensure that you need to do it. 

They will check for any signs of redness or inflammation as well as noticeable tenderness on the foot. Your doctor might even do a physical test where you will be standing on one foot at a time as well as take a walk, so he can see your feet move. 

Heel Spur Treatment

Treating heel spurs mainly consists of lifestyle changes as well as resting. But if you must choose treatment on your own, talk to your doctor to figure out the perfect treatment for you. Some of the most common treatments are:

• Cold Compresses

If your foot is swollen you are most likely going to be using cold compresses to get the swelling down. By using the ice packs for 15 minutes a time will help relieve some pain. The cool compressors are better than heat packs because heat is better for joint and muscle pains. 

• Injections of anti-inflammatory medications

If you are experiencing severe pain your doctor might recommend that you get a corticosteroid shot. They are anti-inflammatory injections and they will help ease the pain as well as reduce the inflammation. 

• Over-the-counter pain meds

Medication can only temporarily reduce the pain that you are experiencing. Some medications that you can try to ease the pain are Tylenol, Aspirin, and Advil. But you should never take over the counter medications and not tell your doctors because they can be dangerous if you are suffering from any kidney or liver problems as well as many other serious conditions. 

• Physical therapy exercises and stretching exercises

Your doctor might even recommend that you do shockwave therapy or physical therapy so you can prevent long-term pain especially because you can't take anti-inflammatory medications for a long time. Those exercises that you will be doing aren't complicated but they will help tremendously. That is because they consist of stretching your heel and the plantar fascia muscles. Once you are done with in-person treatment your doctor will make sure that you know all the exercises and that you do them at home. 

• Rest

One of the most used and recommended treatment options for heel spurs is resting. Resting will not only help relieve pain, but it will also get you off your feet which will stop your condition from getting worse. In case you suffer from acute pain from a heel spur, your doctor might tell you to rest your foot until your symptoms recede. There is nothing that will make your pain worsen and lengthen your recovery time than using your foot.

How to Prevent Them 

Preventing heel spurs is much easier than having to treat it. It requires that you pay attention to your foot health. That is why you need to make sure that you give your feet a rest at the end of every day. You should never push through the pain when it comes to foot pain. If you force yourself when you are in pain you will cause long-term issues that you won’t be able to fix. Another thing that can prevent heel spurs is wearing shoes that support your feet correctly. 

But with all that being said the outlook of heel spurs is positive. The calcium deposit can't disappear on its own, so unless you have it surgically removed it will be there. But that is not normally problematic.