Heel Spur Facts

Rest & Ice – Sometimes spur related heel pain may be reduced with a combination of rest and cold compresses. As such, our Sugar Land podiatrists may recommend the use of store bought compresses or homemade ones on a daily or weekly basis. Cortisone Injections – If ice and rest doesn’t alleviate the pain, Dr. Jerry Silverman or Dr. Steven Lieberson may recommend that heel pain sufferers receive a series of cortisone injections. The injections are designed to reduce the swelling around the heel spur. Once the swelling gets under control, the pain is apt to subside at least somewhat. Other people who are prone to this condition are overweight individuals, or those who bear extra weight on a daily and continuous basis. Those who have an occupation that requires long periods of standing are also at a risk for plantar fasciitis. Also, calf muscles that are not flexing in an optimum way due to being weak or under used can contribute to the inflammation. If the exercise and shoe modifications do not alleviate the pain, a physician sometimes tries to eliminate the irritation that is caused by inflammation, with cortico-steroids. Do not overlook the corresponding J code if an injection is given in the physician's office. Calf and Ankle Stretching This is one of the simplest to execute among heel spur exercises, the aim of this exercise is to stretch the muscles of the calf to enable better support to the heels and reduces the stress placed on the plantar fascia. When done regularly, this exercise should greatly reduce the risk of developing heel spurs. When used and performed properly heel spur exercises could strengthen and increase the flexibility of the heel If this is achieved it will prevent the recurrences of painful episodes brought about by heel spurs. However, it is still preferable to consult a medical doctor specializing in treating these heel conditions. 18.Toe stretching exercises can be very helpful after taking off your shoes. This helps increase the circulation to the poor little tootsies that are cramped in your shoes. 19.Stretch your Achilles tendon and calf muscles at least every day if not twice a day. Regular stretching can help combat the shortening of the Achilles tendon that occurs from chronic wearing of high heel shoes. This shortening can lead to tendonitis and heel pain! heelspurs.com is an extensive source of information about plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and heel pain. The links above are to different areas of the web site. It is imperative that any activity known to produce irritation or trauma to the plantar fascia be immediately discontinued, including any activity involving repeated impact of the heel on a hard surface, particularly, running. Should pain associated with the injury persist, additional diagnostic studies should be undertaken to rule out other, more exotic causes of heel pain including stress fractures, nerve compression injuries, or collagen disorders of the skin. We also ask that if you are overweight that you make a serious commitment to weight reduction before, during and after your surgical procedure, if at all possible. During an endoscopic plantar fasciotomy procedure, two incisions are made around the heel and a miniature camera is inserted inside the heel. Depending on the observations, the doctor may decide to cut or detach, full or partially, the ligament joining the plantar fascia to the heel bone. This relieves the pressure on the plantar fascia. During the surgery, the doctor may also decide to cut and remove the heel spur. This takes care of the problem faced by the patient and it also minimizes the chances of it reoccurring in the future. Surgical treatment consists of cutting a small portion of the plantar fascia to release the tension of the band. This can also be done arthroscopically providing a minimally invasive treatment option. The inflamed band is addressed with surgical treatment; the heel spur is not removed and very rarely needs to be addressed. As one can see, the role heel spurs have in heel pain is often misunderstood, as they may or may not be a source of that pain. Prompt identification and treatment of the cause of heel pain is vital for a successful treatment, as the appropriate treatment may be very different from one cause to another. The symptoms of the plantar fasciitis include pain in the center of the heel with weight bearing. This is usually most pronounced in the morning when the foot is first placed on the floor. Other patients will complain of pain when standing after a brief rest of sitting. Diagnosis Stretching is extremely important. A gentle stretch held for a least one minute is necessary. We suggest performing this stretch for one to two minutes several times a day. If you stretch after you get up in the morning, after breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then just prior to bed, that is at least 5 sessions in a day. Surgery So to prevent them from happening, you need to equip your legs with the necessary muscles. It is best to do these running stretches after your running training. Static stretches like the ones I am describing here can do damage to cold muscles, reason why you should not do them before your workout. Do them after your run when you are completely warmed up and then these running stretches are going to be very beneficial. It is a well known fact that their is a connection between Over Pronation and Achilles Heel Pain (Achilles Tendonitis). Read what you can do about it. read more Yet a new study by University of Pennsylvania researchers has found that only 3.3 percent of Medicare patients receiving radiation for prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bone received a "single-fraction" treatment. About 250,000 patients a year suffer from cancer bone pain, said Justin Bekelman, a radiation oncologist at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, who led the study. Typically, their cancers cannot be cured. Radiation only reduces the pain. It does not extend life. Bekelman said the study illustrates how difficult it is to change medical practice, especially when payment systems reward doctors for sticking to the status quo.