My father has heel spur and he walks very hard. What do you know about this illness ? Could it be operated ?
Answers:
Heel spurs are a common foot problem resulting from excess bone growth on the heel bone. The bone growth is usually located on the underside of the heel bone, extending forward to the toes.
There are treatments, including surgery. Read the links below for detailed information.
heel spur aka calceneal spur is more common in older people . its a tiny bony growth in the heel and can cause pain and discomfort when going on long walks , best to refer to orthopedics and have it removed surgicaly.
Sometimes can be helped with surgery but can be best served to see a podiatrist, (foot Doctor). He can provide inserts for the shoes that relieve pressure on the spur. Also can use ibuprofen to help the inflamation and pain. Some have be helped by creating your own insert using a foam pad made to fit the heel of your shoe, with a hole in the center, Looks like a doughnut. You can try this homemade.
From Jonathan Cluett, M.D.,
Your Guide to Orthopedics.
Information about what causes heel spurs
What is a heel spur?
Patients and doctors often confuse the terms heel spur and plantar fasciitis. While these two diagnoses are somewhat related, they are certainly not the same thing. Plantar fasciitis refers to the inflammation of the plantar fascia--the tissue that forms the arch of the foot. A heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on the foot bone (calcaneus) and is associated with plantar fasciitis.
About 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that can be seen on X-Ray. However, many patients without symptoms of pain can have a heel spur. The exact relation ship between plantar fasciitis and heel spurs is not known for sure.
Why did I get a heel spur?
The plantar fascia is a thick ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the calcaneus (heel bone) to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue contributes to maintaining the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. Therefore, the stress placed on the plantar fascia is tremendous.
When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia becomes inflamed (tendonitis) and degenerative (tendinosis)--these abnormalities can make normal activities quite painful. Symptoms are typically worsened early in the morning after sleep. At that time, the plantar fascia is tight and simple movements stretch the contracted plantar fascia. As you begin to loosen the tendon, the pain usually subsides, but often returns with prolonged standing or walking.
Heel spurs form in some patients who have plantar fasciitis, and tend to occur in patients who have had the problem for a prolonged period of time. While about 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur, x-rays also show about 50% of patients with no symptoms also have a heel spur. TREATMENT:http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/generali...
I was a waitress for years and my feet definately know what pain is. I have been told to get surgury but do not want to go to those extremes. I started using double layers of gel insoles and heel cups. It's not a cure but it will help in the mean time. If you put that much stuff in your shoes you need shoes that are about a half size too big.
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