Heel Spurs (Calcaneal Spurs)

What are Heel Spurs?

(Alias: Calcaneal Spurs)

How Do You Treat Heel Spurs?

• Pain reduction is the primary aim. This may include rest from aggravating activities, ice applications, gentle plantar fascia stretching, massage techniques, electrotherapy, taping.

• Useful products include soft orthotics (overpronators / traction type pain) or heel cups (compression pain). A soft orthotic when used in conjunction with a stretching program is more likely to improve acute symptoms than a custom polypropylene orthotic device. Often it is poorly designed footwear that can predispose to the injury.

• Ice and a home tens unit can often speed up recovery and reduce the need for drugs.

• Ultimately, biomechanical correction is the aim. Foot intrinsic muscle strengthening (including tibialis posterior and peroneus longus) and calf (gastrocnemius and soleus) stretches are almost always required.

• Cases of moderate to severe biomechanical deformity should be referred for physiotherapy or podiatric assessment to prevent chronic recurrence. NSAID's and corticosteroid injection is most effective when combined with biomechanical correction.

• While traditional methods alone are ultimately effective, iontophoresis in addition to traditional modalities has shown a quicker reduction in pain.

• Extracorpeal shockwave therapy is being increasingly used for plantar fasciitis and heel spurs , but limited evidence supports its use.

• Mechanical treatment that involves taping and orthoses has been shown to be more effective than either anti-inflammatories or accommodative modalities.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

FAQs about Heel Spurs

• What Causes You to Feel Pain?

• Physiotherapy & Exercises

• When Should Diagnostic Tests Be Performed?

• How Does Kinesiology Tape Work?

• Does Stretching Prevent Injury?

• How Can You Prevent a Future Leg Injury?

• How Much Treatment Will You Need?

• What are the Early Warning Signs of an Injury?

• What Can You Do To Help Arthritis?

• What is Sports Physiotherapy?

• What is the Correct Way to Stand?

• When Can You Return to Sport or Work?

• Why Does Heat Feel So Good?

Helpful Products for Heel / Calcaneal Spurs

Related Injuries

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