A heel-spur is a hook of a bone that forms on the heel-bone of the foot.
It’s associated with plantar fasciitis which involves inflammation of the tissue that forms an arch on the foot. Mostly these two may be thought to be the same but they are not.
We will look at the common symptoms that are brought about by the heel-spur condition.
Common heel spur symptoms.
- Heel pain when walking in a specific area.
- Swelling or inflammation around the heel.
- You may feel that your heel is bruised.
The most common symptom is a sharp throbbing pain early in the morning when you stand up. As you sleep or rest, the ligaments, tendons and muscles tend to shorten and tighten as they are not being used as you sleep.
However when you wake up in the morning and place your heels on the ground to start walking, the tissues of the feet and the heel area don’t quite work correctly.
This therefore will result to an intense pain until that time when they get adjusted and this is often after taking a stroll around for a short while.
This is the reason why heel pain is the most common symptom seen in people who are affected by heel spurs.
The damage is already done to the plantar-fascia and the microtearing of the soft tissue membrane has already taken place. This causes inflammation and further damage on the heel tissue.
As the day goes by the tissue warms up and the sharp piercing pain fades the inflamed part of the heel starts feeling better.
However only a dull ache replaces that intense morning pain that you were experiencing.
However, it should be noted that not all those suffering from heel spurs have the same symptoms. There are cases where the heel-spur is spotted during an X-ray report for examination of other incidences of medical conditions.
These people have got heel-spurs but have never felt any pain or discomfort.
It is also vital to note that the heel-spur doesn’t cause pain but rather is a mere symptom of the primary condition called plantar fasciitis.
Other heel spur symptoms and signs.
An individual may experience intense pain after long hours of walking or standing up after periods of intense activities and this is why heel-spur is common among athletes who engage in activities involving jumping and running.
The pain is concentrated on the center point of the heel but after a period of time it subsides and spread across the entire heel section and is felt more of a dull ache.
There are also some signs of inflammation around the ligament. When you touch the heel you may tend to feel some warmth and the heel will also feel tender.
Heel spur treatment options.
If you feel pain for long than one month then consult a doctor as he or she may recommend you to the above treatments:
- Taking stretching exercises.
- Receive proper shoe recommendations.
- Wear shoe insoles or orthotics that have cut-outs for heel spurs.
- Physical therapy.
- Strapping or taping to rest the stressed tendons and muscles.
- The heel pain may also be relieved using medication.
- If the treatment fails the doctor may recommend surgery.
A heel-spur is not that of a serious problem if you take care of yourself well.
Avoid non-fitting shoes and lose weight if extra weight isn’t necessary.