Heel spur is a disease that is characterized by severe pain in the sole of the foot when walking, because of the existing marginal bone growths. Heel spur is the result of inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is why the disease is called plantar fasciitis. Changes in soft tissue lead to the appearance of clinical symptoms characteristic of heel spurs.

The symptoms of heel spurs

The main symptom of heel spurs is a pain in the soles, aggravated by stress and having a so-called "start character". Most expressed such pain during the first steps after prolonged sitting or after sleep. The patient in this case feels a sharp pain and burning, which manifests itself by relying on the heel. When the heel spur pain can be localized on the inner surface of the heel, and spread across the heel.

The nature of pain in the heel spur also varies. Soreness at a support on the heel, in some cases develops gradually increases its intensity, and pain become chronic, become persistent. In another case, the pain of the heel spur is a sudden and acute, it is intense in the early days, then subsides a bit and then amplified in the evening.

The causes of heel spurs

The primary cause of heel spurs are inflammatory and degenerative changes of the plantar fascia, which leads to reactive osteoblastic process and development of heel spur. Statistically observed that most often suffer from heel spurs the fairer sex at the age of forty years of age or older. Development of heel spurs may be due to long overload the heel, which occur, for example, in athletes.

The cause of heel spurs may be the presence of longitudinal flat Flatfoot - whether to treat it? , Rheumatic fever, infection, acute or chronic injury and neurodystrophic and vascular disorders. The predisposition to the disease occurs in people who are overweight and diseases of the spine.

Diagnosis of heel spurs

At external examination heel any abnormalities often do not show up, and severe pain appears only when pressing on the hill of the calcaneus, or heel while squeezing the sides. For the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis appoint an ultrasound of soft tissues of the foot. The quantity of available spurs determined by X-ray diffraction.

Heel spur looks like growths, like a beak or a spike, and is located in the site of attachment of the Achilles tendon or in the plantar surface of the calcaneal tuberosity. When viewed from the back of the heel spur localization doctor may notice swelling of the existing art, as well as some callus skin.

Treatment of heel spurs

Treatment of heel spurs is prescribed depending on the stage of the disease and what caused it. To eliminate the inflammatory process can be administered topical administration of corticosteroids. Also apply ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory and resolving action. After the relief of the inflammatory process, confirm the results of ultrasound examination, the patient is prescribed conduct shock wave therapy, which is an alternative to surgery to remove a bone outgrowth and tissue excision changed.

Integrated treatment involves the use of physiotherapy treatments as mineral baths, mud baths, cryotherapy Cryotherapy Ultrasound. To improve blood flow to the tissues of the foot, the patient is prescribed a warm bath with sea salt, massage the feet and legs, a special gymnastics.

One of the main conditions for successful treatment is the unloading area of ​​pain using individual orthopedic insoles Orthopedic insoles - when they are really needed? . These insoles have a recess under the heel and the pad in the center. Even more unloading provides orthopedic footwear that has a hole in the heel or the back side - at the back of the spur.

Natalia Biatova