What Is A Heel Spur? (Calcaneal Spur Treatment)

Heel spur or calcaneal spurs are a common cause of pain on the bottom of the foot. Repetitive strain on your plantar fascia can result in pulling away minute sections of bone from the base of your heel. A small gap is created when this happens. Your body responds by producing more bone to fill this gap, hence a bony protrusion is formed as a way of securing the detached plantar fascia attachment to your heel (calcaneus).

Heel Spur Causes

A heel spur or calcaneal spur is related to chronic plantar fasciitis. However, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis can occur by themselves or be related to underlying inflammatory diseases such as reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). This is a condition characterised by abnormal calcification or bone formation of your soft tissues surrounding the joints of your spine and peripheral joints.

Heel spurs may also be caused by:

  • bruising of the heel
  • excess body weight
  • walking gait issues
  • wearing non-supportive or ill-fitted footwear (like thongs) too often

heel pain

Heel Spur Symptoms

Having a heel spur may not always be painful. In fact, you can have a heel spur and not feel any pain whatsoever. However, when it is painful you may feel a sharp, stabbing pain under or on the inside of your heel and arch. Pain relief often occurs when you stay off your feet and worsens with standing or walking. 

Because our bodies naturally take in fluid overnight, most patients complain of heel pain being the most painful when they first try to walk or stand in the morning. The heel pain is aggravated by walking on hard surfaces or carrying something heavy.

Heel Spur Diagnosis

Heel bone spurs can only be diagnosed with a foot x-ray.  You will notice a bony growth of your heel bone (calcaneus), near the attachment of your plantar fascia. X-rays can assist in ruling out other conditions such as arthritis or a stress fracture. A heel spur is permanent and trying to remove it with surgery only results in it growing back.

heel spur

Heel Spur Treatment

There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to treating a calcaneal spur and you cannot ever get rid of it; but there are several things that you can try to relieve pain. 

  • Rest – Staying off your feet can help to reduce heel pain.
  • Relieve pain and inflammation – Ice can help reduce pain and inflammation. Hands-on physiotherapy to your lower limbs, calf, and feet, strapping or taping and dry needling can also reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Avoid bare feet – Supportive shoes help to support your arches in your feet. Arch support and heel cups can provide cushioning to your heel.
  • Exercises – Your Physiotherapist will show you stretches and for strengthening exercises for your feet, calf and lower limb muscles. This will offload tension on your heel.
  • Weight loss – If you are carrying extra weight, doing your best to reduce weight can relieve the extra pressure on your plantar fascia.
  • Cold compresses – Using cold compresses for up to 15 minutes at a time may help reduce swelling and alleviate pain caused by heel spurs. 
  • Orthotic shoe inserts – Things like heel pads and orthotics can help give you arch and heel support to relieve everyday pain and prevent worsening. 
  • Medications – Pain Relief Medications like analgesics and anti-inflammatory medication in acute as well as chronic cases may be warranted.

Need Help?

For chronic heel pain treatment or advice for a heel spur come and see us at City Physiotherapy. Our experienced physiotherapists can help to diagnose and treat heel spurs and other joint related problems.

BACK TO BLOG
Treatment Search

If you know your injury or ailment, search or select from the dropdown list to the right. Alternatively click on the quick link buttons below to find out more.

Enter your injury or ailment