Heel Spurs

Calcaneal or heel spurs are fortunately not that common. They are small outgrowths of bone that appear underneath the calcaneum or heel bone. They protrude into the overlying tissue (muscles and plantar fascia) and cause pain.

Characteristically the pain is there everytime weight is put on the heel. It is generally reported to be worse after rest, especially first thing in the morning.

The cause of heel spurs is not exactly known. It is thought, however, that they may be due to trauma, repetitive and minor rather than major, or certain metabolic medical conditions pre-disposing to extra bone growth and to certain inflammatory rheumatological diseases.

Treatment

In the initial stages physical therapy techniques may be sufficient to settle inflammation in the overlying soft tissues and ease the condition. However if the symptoms have been in existence for a long time such intervention may be insufficient.

If spurs are present, confirmed diagnostically by x-ray, further options are again injections of local anaesthetic and steroid or possibly surgery to remove the offending bone growths. There is evidence, however, that removal may stimulate new growth so that the spurs reappear. Surgery at the moment does not seem to be in vogue for this condition and non surgical approaches together with the use of orthotics to help with the pain seem to be the preferred method of treatment.

Your problem may not be heel spurs. See our other heel pain page