Bone spur
Causes, symptoms, and treatments at the Pied Confort podiatric clinic
Bone spur, also known as calcanean spur, can be an incredibly painful and disruptive condition that can affect your daily life. It is a calcium deposit (or bone growth) that forms on the heel bone (specifically where the plantar fascia meets the heel bone). This deposit can often cause pain and irritation. However, this condition can be treated fairly easily.
To better understand the causes:
Calcanean spur can form for a variety of reasons, including stresses in the muscles and ligaments of the foot, excessive weight, poor foot mechanics, such as stretching of the plantar fascia and frequent tearing of the membrane that covers the heel bone, and abnormal bone growth. Bone spur can often be a precursor to heel pain and plantar fasciitis.
In some cases, a calcanean spur can be a sign of an underlying condition. These conditions include gout, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Repeated weight-bearing activities can cause a bone spur. This includes playing sports such as tennis or basketball.
Poor foot structure can cause heel spurs. This includes a high arch and flat foot, a high toe to wheel ratio or a high instep.
If you have symptoms of a bone spur, contact your podiatrist to schedule an appointment.
To better understand the treatment :
Treatments for bone spur can start with simple lifestyle changes to manage pain and discomfort. It is essential that you reduce your activity to give your calcanean spur a break. It is important to start wearing more comfortable and supportive shoes. Foot orthotics are another avenue that can lead to good results. A home exercise program that you can perform daily can help strengthen your muscles and reduce pain.
Other treatments such as corticosteroid injections can help reduce inflammation and pain and promote healing.
The last resort may be surgery. Treatment is a decision that will be made by your podiatrist after a diagnosis. Contact the Pied Confort clinic.
