How do I take care of myself if I have heel spurs?
Once you have a heel spur, you’ll always have a heel spur. Fortunately, heel spurs generally don’t hurt. But you should plan on managing the symptoms associated with heel spurs. Here are some steps you can take:
- Cut back on activities that make your heel pain worse.
- Be sure you have well-fitting shoes that support your arches.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
Talk to your provider if treatment for your heel pain doesn’t seem to help. While heel spurs don’t always hurt, ongoing heel pain might be a sign that it’s time to try other treatments or check for other potential problems.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
- Why do I have a heel spur?
- What can you do for my heel spur?
- Will my heel spur go away?
- If my heel spur isn’t causing my heel pain, what is?
- What treatments can address the problem that caused my heel spur?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
A heel spur happens when stress and strain damage your plantar fascia, the ligament on the bottom of your foot. Heel spurs usually aren’t the reason why your heel hurts. You probably learned about your heel spur when you sought help for heel pain. Even if your heel spur didn’t cause your heel pain, you should still pay attention to your heels. If your heels hurt when you do certain activities, talk to your healthcare provider about additional steps you can take to ease your heel pain.
FAQs
Heel spurs may also be caused by:
- arthritis.
- bruising of the heel.
- excess body weight.
- poorly fitted shoes.
- walking gait issues.
- wearing flip-flops too often.
- worn-out shoes.
There are treatments that can ease the pain of these underlying conditions, but surgery is the only way to remove a heel spur. Ask your healthcare provider if surgery is an appropriate solution to your heel spur problem.
What deficiency causes heel spurs? ›
In our study, the levels of 25(OH)D were significantly lower in the patients with calcaneal spurs than healthy controls. This finding indicates that vitamin D deficiency may cause impaired postural balance and muscle tissue, increasing the risk for calcaneal spur formation.
How do doctors get rid of heel spurs? ›
Heel spur surgery can be performed as either open surgery (involving a scalpel and large incision) or endoscopic surgery (using "keyhole" incisions with a narrow scope and operating tools). Open surgery is better able to remove the entire spur.
Is there an autoimmune disease that causes bone spurs? ›
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus can also cause bone spurs. In these conditions, spurs still tend to become more common with age, but can pop up in younger adults.
What foods cause heel spurs? ›
Avoid or reduce your consumption of:
- Red meats, pork and bacon.
- Dairy products.
- Processed foods, especially those containing refined sugar and white flour.
- Caffeine.
- Vegetables from the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers)
How to dissolve bone spurs naturally
- Cold compress.
- Supplements.
- Diet.
- Exercise.
- Cell-based therapies.
- PRP.
The heel pain associated with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis may not respond well to rest. If you walk after a night's sleep, the pain may feel worse as the plantar fascia suddenly elongates, which stretches and pulls on the heel. The pain often decreases the more you walk.
Is it good to rub a heel spur? ›
Massage: If your heel spur is on the sole of the heel, massaging the plantar fascia and bottom of the foot may help. Place a massage ball or frozen water bottle under your foot and roll your foot back and forth across the ball or bottle spending extra time in spots that feel tender.
What vitamins get rid of bone spurs? ›
Vitamin D3
It helps with calcium uptake and bone health. Foods rich in vitamin D3 promote proper bone remodeling and strength which might help in dealing with bone spurs.
The difference between a heel spur and plantar fasciitis is that one is a calcium deposit, or bone growth (spur), and one is inflammation of a ligament. These two issues are commonly confused with each other, though, because they can sometimes present in similar manners.
Can magnesium get rid of bone spurs? ›
So, while magnesium certainly isn't a cure for bone spurs, preventing magnesium deficiency with a balanced diet and supplementation (if needed) may lower your risk of osteoarthritis, a prevalent cause of bone spurs.
What aggravates a heel spur? ›
Heel spurs are caused by activities that put extra stress on your feet, as well as certain health conditions: Participation in athletics, especially running or jogging, or having a job where you are on your feet all day. Wearing shoes that lack arch support.
What happens if you don't fix a heel spur? ›
Heel spurs can cause acute pain and discomfort in patients. But as mentioned, their presence can create inflammation and other symptoms throughout the foot. If these issues persist, the nerves in the foot may be impacted and sustain irreversible damage. Trauma to the nerves can lead to a condition called neuropathy.
What happens if bone spurs are left untreated? ›
Also known as osteophytes, bone spurs tend to grow where bone meets bone, and some people feel no symptoms at all. However, if left untreated, bone spurs contribute to spinal stenosis, which develops when your spinal canal narrows and pinches your nerves.
What diseases cause bone spurs? ›
In addition, certain conditions can make it more likely that bone spurs will develop, including:
- Arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Spinal stenosis.
Gout may cause various radiographic abnormalities such as cartilage loss, spurs, sclerosis, and periostal new bone formation.
Are heel spurs a form of arthritis? ›
Heel spurs may also be caused by inflammatory arthritis, and may be encouraged by other problems like the breakdown of the fat pad of the heel.
What is fasciitis heel spur syndrome? ›
Patients with Plantar Fasciitis or heel spurs usually complain of pain in the bottom of the heel which is worse after rest, or in the morning when they first get out of bed. This is because the underlying problem is tightness of the plantar fascia, or the ligament on the bottom of the foot.
