Book an Appointment
Learn how Regen Doctor is assisting patients in living life to the fullest.
Menu
There is a lot about our feet we take for granted, including the sturdiness of them as they contact the ground. Sometimes, though, we can develop heel spurs, a painful condition that makes our steps less certain. Here’s what you need to know about this condition and how to treat it.
Heel spurs (also called bone spurs) are hooks of bone that protrude from the bottom of the foot where your plantar fascia connects to the heel bone. Your plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs the length of the bottom of the foot. Over time, this bone hook can build up as a result of the tension of plantar fasciitis, a debilitating and painful inflammation of the plantar fascia.
Bone building occurs frequently in patients with plantar fasciitis. An estimated 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis also have heel spurs. These two conditions are so closely connected that when heel spurs are found on an X-ray, they are used as evidence that a patient is also suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Heel spurs are most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged men and women. Those who are overweight or obese, or start a new higher intensity workout program, are more at risk.
Plantar fasciitis is the major cause of heel spurs, so it’s important to look at conditions that cause that painful inflammation. Plantar fasciitis is typically caused by repetitive stress such as walking, running, and dancing (intensely and over time).
Causes for heel spurs also include the following:
As we get older, age-related arthritis may cause of bone loss in some areas, with a corresponding loss of the natural cushioning under your heel. The bone that remains is excessively stimulated and begins to press down to the ground, causing pain.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome can also be to blame.
In the United States, the most likely cause of heel spurs is being overweight. With more than 60% of the nation obese or morbidly obese, foot pain related to obesity is increasing as we ask our feet to support more weight.
Heel spurs are most often diagnosed when a patient visits their doctor for chronic and intense foot pain that doesn’t go away over time.
Many patients first receive a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis. Heel spurs are confirmed with an X-ray of the foot.
A first-line treatment for bone spurs and plantar fasciitis is weight loss. Not only does maintaining a healthy weight improve overall health, dietary changes leading to weight loss are most likely to cause long-term relief for bone spurs and plantar fasciitis.
Other heel spur treatments include:
If you have any questions or are simply looking for more information please contact us and our friendly team will be happy to answer your questions and help in any way we can.Â
