How to detect heel spur?

• What is heel spur?
• What causes heel spurs?
• Who gets heel spurs?
• Heel spurs are associated with which diseases?
• What are the symptoms of heel spurs?
• How to detect heel spur?
• How is heel spur treated?
• Are there any heel spurs medication/s?
• Is there a heel spur surgery?
• What are heel spur exercises?

What is Heel Spur?

A heel spur is a bone-like deposit that forms between the heel bone and the arch of the foot (sole), and is usually seen as a calcium deposit.

It can cause pain in the entire foot, usually starting in the middle and front of the heel and then affecting other parts of the heel.

This thorn-shaped accumulation generally occurs due to long-term stretching of muscle and connective tissue.

The reasons that increase the tension are;
• Walking barefoot on hard surfaces,
• Standing or running for a long time,
• Repetitive pressure increases (like jumping… etc.)
Inflammation symptoms such as pain, swelling, temperature increase can be seen in the anterior part of the heel.

On the X-ray, a bony protrusion of approximately 1 cm in the form of a rose thorn can be seen on the heel. However, bone spurs may not be present in every X-ray film. This condition is called “heel spur syndrome”.

Heel spurs may develop due to an underlying disease or may occur on their own. It can be found in the front of the heel just below the arch of the foot or behind the heel.

The heel spur, which develops on the back of the heel, is usually seen at the attachment of the Achilles tendon (the thickest fiber of the body). In this inflammatory condition known as Achilles tendinitis, pain occurs in the back of the foot by stretching the front of the foot.

The heel spur, which is seen in the anterior part of the heel, is often associated with plantar fasciitis (plantar fasciitis). Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammation of the fibrous connective tissue called the plantar fascia that runs under the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes.

What Causes Heel Spurs?

Calcium deposition occurs as a result of a long-term inflammatory process that begins as a result of repetitive injuries to the structures around the heel (soft tissues, muscles and plantar fascia).
The plantar fascia is a bridge-shaped strip of fiber that connects the heel bone to the toes.
Heel spurs are common, especially among long-running and jumping athletes.

Who gets heel spurs?

• female gender,
• advancing age,
• Weight gain and/or obesity
• Brisk walking or jogging, especially on hard surfaces
• gait abnormalities,
• Mismatched or poorly worn shoes
• Foot arch (foot arch) problems (such as flat feet, hollow insoles…)
• Coexistence of plantar fasciitis condition,
• Trauma,
• Diabetes,
• Working for long periods of time
• Doing frequent and short-term, excessive physical activities.

Heel spurs are associated with which diseases?

• plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendinitis
• Reactive arthritis (Reiter’s disease)
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

What are the symptoms of heel spurs?

Heel spurs will not cause any complaints, and the most common complaint is intermittent or long-term pain. There may be pain, especially when walking or running. Generally, the cause of the pain is not due to the heel spur, but rather the injury to the soft tissue around the spur.

Many people describe it as stabbing or pins-and-needles on the soles of their feet when they first get up in the morning (first step pain). The pain then turns into an uncomfortable pain. Sharp pain usually occurs when first standing up after sitting for a long time.

• Other symptoms seen in heel spurs are;
• Redness and swelling in front of the heel,
• Increased temperature in and around the affected area,
• Small, hard protrusion under the heel that can be seen with the naked eye,
• Tenderness under the heel that makes walking barefoot difficult

How to detect heel spur?

An x-ray of the foot is taken and a bony prominence is seen on the x-ray. Because some people have no symptoms, heel spurs are only discovered incidentally on X-rays taken for another reason.

How is heel spur treated?

The aim of the treatment is to reduce the pressure on the foot (especially the heel area), to control pain and inflammation, to promote tissue healing and to increase the flexibility of soft tissues.

• Rest: By reducing the pressure applied to the foot, it can be effective in reducing the inflammation in the affected area and the associated pain and swelling.
• Cold application: It can help reduce pain and swelling by suppressing inflammation.
• Orthotic use: Annular insoles, silicone supports are used to relieve pressure on the heel. Custom made insoles.
• Night rest splint
• Stretching exercises (most importantly)
• Physiotheraphy
• Wearing sports shoes: It is used to relieve the pressure applied to the foot.
• Pain relievers.
• ESWT (Extracorporeal shock wave therapy): Healing of the damage is promoted with high-energy sound waves.
• Prolotherapy: The healing process is stimulated by injecting sugary serum into the damaged area.
• PRP: It is tried to accelerate tissue healing by injecting platelet-rich plasma obtained from the person’s own blood.
• Steroid (cortisone) injections: They reduce swelling and pain in the affected area.

Are there any heel spurs medication/s?

There is no specific medicine developed for heel spur disease. The drugs used in the treatment try to suppress the inflammation and accelerate tissue healing. Drugs used for this purpose;

• Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs
• Creams, ointments and gels
• Supplements that help tissue healing (such as collagen)

Is there a heel spur surgery?

In rare cases, surgery may be needed for heel spur pain. Many patients benefit from non-surgical treatments.

The aim of the surgery is not to remove the thorn. It is a simple intervention to reduce the tension of the arch of the foot (called plantar fascia release) to reduce the tension that causes pain.

What are heel spur exercises?

Chronic strain-related pain occurs due to shortening of the muscles and ligaments in the foot and calf. Stretching exercises are used to lengthen the fibers and reduce tension.

Some exercises that can be done for this purpose: