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Calcaneal spurs are the inflammation that occurs right in the place where the tendons are inserted into the bone, they are protuberances in the bone in the form of tips . Usually the pain happens when an effort is made or a stimulus occurs on the tendon of the plant foot, causing an inflammation of the heel or the sole of the foot, which can extend from the heel to the toes. These bumps on the foot bone give rise to a deformity called Haglund deformity (upper calcaneal spur)
When the plantar fascia or sole of the foot becomes inflamed, a sharp pain appears in the heel, which usually happens in the morning or when one begins to walk. This is known as a calcaneal spur, which appears mainly on the sole of the foot or at the insertion of the Achilles heel.
Surgery and the use of stencils for spurs or anti-inflammatory drugs have been tried for their cure, but there are many other ways to treat them naturally and very efficiently.
Causes of the spurs:
- Stress is one of the most common causes of spurs, due to nervous stress, weight overload or standing for a long time coupled with stress.
- Inadequate footwear, use of heels with excess, subject the heel to excessive effort.
- Walking with excess stress or tensions, Intense sports without being trained or following a sequence of effort little by little, standing a long time in work jobs and repeatedly ignoring fatigue.
- Overweight and obesity.
- Prison and forced traction of the foot, which produces small tears, which irritate and wear away the bone. This produces a painful inflammation, which causes an accumulation of calcium in the affected areas, with the aim of perhaps repairing the tears that occur in this area.
- Incorrect postures of the foot when walking or standing.
symptom
- In the area of the ram.
- The upper calcaneal spur (Haglund's deformity) manifests primarily through two symptoms: oppressive pain when palpating the Achilles heel and pain caused by exertion on said tendon. The pressure caused by the edge of the shoe causes the skin to become red and inflamed.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of the calcareous spur is usually made based on the characteristic discomforts, which point to the existence of an inflammation of the aponeurosis of the sole of the foot (plantar fasciitis) due to external mechanical stimuli or a spur. However, these discomforts may appear before the bone bump has formed. In order to confirm the diagnosis, a recognition and a radiological study are performed . It is necessary to rule out other pathologies such as rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, such as ankylosing spondylitis and gout, for which the analysis of certain blood parameters may be useful.
Plantar calcaneal spur
The plantar calcaneal spur (lower calcaneal spur) is diagnosed by means of a lateral x-ray of the calcaneus: in this, a pointed protrusion oriented towards the fingers and with a length of between one to five millimeters is normally recognized.
Haglund deformity
The diagnosis of Haglund's deformity or exostosis (upper calcaneal spur) is frequently made due to the fact that the bone growth observed on the radiograph is less than the palpable clinical finding, since the tip of the spur can have a cartilaginous structure.
Treatment
The calcaneal spur only requires treatment when it causes discomfort for the patient. In general, conservative or surgical treatment can be applied .
Conservative treatment
When it comes to treating the calcaneal spur, conservative therapy is used (that is, non-surgical). Often the reduction of overload is already an improvement. The appropriate measures in each case depend on the type of spur:
Plantar calcaneal spur: to mitigate the pain derived from the lower location spur you can use heels with a hole that is placed in the pressure sensitive area. Additionally, if necessary, it is useful to place insoles with holes that support and reduce the load of the longitudinal arch of the foot.
Haglund deformity: in this top location spur, you will get an improvement with a simple shoe change. Avoid rigid shoes and those that close at the height of the spur.
If these measures are not enough to alleviate the discomfort caused by the spur, conservative treatment offers the following therapeutic possibilities:
Physical therapy: this includes the application of heat or cold, as well as local ultrasonic treatment.
Medications: bandages with the application of ointments are suitable for the pharmacological treatment of the calf spur. These ointments can be composed of cortisone and analgesic medications, such as local anesthetics, and anti-inflammatories. It is applied in the area of muscular insertion. Infiltrations can also be performed, injecting into that area a mixture of corticosteroids and local anesthetics.
Shockwave treatment: the waves of High energy ultrasounds (called extracorporeal shock waves) stimulate the growth of blood vessels and mitigate inflammation. They also dissolve the calcifications. Social Security does not cover the shock wave treatment of the calf spur.
Surgery
It is usually not necessary to perform a surgical intervention to treat the calf spur. The surgery should not be weighed until at least nine or twelve months have elapsed after conservative treatment has not provided improvement. The operation consists in the removal with a chisel of the spur and a section of the plantar fascia.
Evolution
A treated calcium spur usually has a favorable evolution: In more than 95% of cases, healing is achieved through conservative treatment . However, less than five percent of patients who suffer from it for years may require surgery. This has a cure rate of between 80 and 90%. However, spur surgery involves a prolonged recovery period.
Prevention
The appearance of a calcaneal spur can be prevented by taking care of the aponeurotic tissues of the sole of the foot, for example, by means of the following recommendations:
- Warm up and stretch enough before playing sports.
- Wear appropriate shoes. They are the right size and not too narrow.
- Occasionally change the posture in the workplace (standing / sitting)
- It is advisable reduce or avoid overweight
Sources
Family medicine. Principles and practice; Robert B. Taylor; 2006; Masson
Primary Care Concepts, organization and clinical practice; A. Martín Zurzo, JF Cano Pérez; 2003; Elsevier
Onmeda International
Calcaneal spur: causes and natural treatment
