It usually begins imperceptibly with a noticeable bump in the heel area of the foot. A heel spur develops. Later, walking or standing is only possible with pain. The heel spur is a new bone formation on the heel bone of the foot. Heel spurs, also known as calcaneal spurs, affect almost one in ten Germans at some point in their lives.
Here you will find further information and selected heel spur specialists and centers.
Doctors essentially differentiate between two forms of growth of this very unpleasant clinical picture:
People between the ages of 40 and 60 are most frequently affected.
Why a heel spur develops is still largely unknown. There are discussions about pressure loads on the skeleton of the foot, which can be triggered by incorrect loading. These stresses can lead to minute injuries to bones and tendons.
Due to the micro-injuries, the immune system becomes active and localized inflammation develops in the foot. In this way, a calcium mound, i.e. the heel spur (also known as calcaneal spur), develops slowly but progressively.
In most cases, incorrect footwear is one of the main causes of such remodeling processes. However, in addition to incorrect footwear, there are also other risk factors, such as
Essentially, doctors distinguish between two forms of growth of this very unpleasant clinical picture. On the one hand, the bone can grow along the sole of the foot towards the toes. On the other hand, there is the heel spur, which can be found on the Achilles tendon. People between the ages of 40 and 60 are most frequently affected.
In rare cases, patients only feel an outgrowth in the heel area without any other symptoms. More frequently, however, there is severe pain in the heel. The pain worsens when walking due to the irritation of the heel spur. The pain also disappears when the foot is rested or elevated.
Contact persons for heel spurs are orthopaedic specialists and foot surgeons.
Heel spurs are usually diagnosed on the basis of an X-ray and clinical examination. The calcium deposit is not always clearly visible on the image. Then characteristic pressure points on the sole of the foot or the heel help the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the pain is very severe when walking, the patient's gait pattern often changes too. Many patients then walk mainly on their toes to avoid putting any further strain on the heel spur. The doctor recognizes the subtleties of the gait pattern during a gait analysis.
The first thing to do is to relieve the pain. As a rule, the affected foot must be immobilized and sufficiently cooled. Anti-inflammatory medication may also be necessary for a short time.
This is followed by the actual treatment of the heel spur. In addition to physiotherapy, shock wave or radiation therapy are particularly popular. In any case, the foot should be relieved for the duration of the therapy.
This is usually helped by
to soothe the heel spur or counteract further deterioration. If no relief can be achieved in this way, there are other treatment options. In most cases, surgery is not necessary.
There are no special heel spur-friendly shoes. However, many shoes can be converted using special insoles.
In the case of the lower heel spur - i.e. under the sole of the foot - for example
can be used.
For heel spurs on the Achilles tendon, on the other hand, padded cushions and glued-in felt wedges are recommended.
In addition to alleviating current symptoms, these measures help to prevent the heel spur from getting bigger.
Shock waves are pressure waves that are transmitted from a device to the foot during shock wave therapy . Under the influence of the shock waves, the blood flow is stimulated so that pain and inflammation should improve.
However, the therapeutic success of the procedure is controversial.
The radiation dose used in heel spur therapy is much lower than in X-ray therapy, for example. Within around five to six sessions, each lasting just a few minutes, many patients achieve the desired pain relief.
In less than 10% of cases, the symptoms persist despite the aforementioned treatment options.
Surgery is then the last treatment option. The foot is anatomically very complex. You should therefore consult a specialist for surgical treatment of heel spurs.
X-ray image of heel spur on the underside of the heel © Anton | AdobeStock
Stretch your legs and feet before every sporting activity. This will help you to avoid minor injuries caused by the strain of sport. The Achilles tendon area is particularly susceptible.
Anyone who also has to walk or stand a lot in everyday life will benefit from the following physiotherapy exercises:
The calcaneal spur does not disappear on its own. Nevertheless, surgical removal of the outgrowth in the heel area is very rarely necessary. As the calcium deposits do not usually cause any discomfort, it is sufficient to control the inflammation in the foot.
Physiotherapy and suitable anti-inflammatory medication can help.
The Leading Medicine Guide's quality assurance is ensured by the following acceptance prerequisites.
