What is this disease, spurs on the heels?

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Heel spur, plantar or plantar fasciitis, a condition in which the connective tissue of the foot becomes inflamed. The disease does not pose a health hazard, but it affects the quality of life, significantly worsening it.

The main symptoms of the disease:

• aching pain - with static load;
• acute - with dynamic.

Restriction in movement has a negative effect on mood and well-being.

Causes and mechanism of development of fasciitis

Calcaneal spurs can form with flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot and with inflammation of the synovial bursa of the calcaneal joint.

In the first case, the spur is formed on one sole, in the second on two at the same time. During illness, the plantar ligament, which connects the forefoot to the heel bone, becomes inflamed.

As a result of tissue deformation, the load on the limbs is redistributed, which causes tissue injuries in the heels. Fatty tissue becomes thinner, ceases to perform shock-absorbing functions.

This leads to the formation and growth of bone formations of various shapes and sizes. They are called heel spurs.

In the role of factors provoking the rapid development of fasciitis, one can single out:

• anatomical structure: high arches of the foot - hollow feet;
• increased loads;
• weakening of the muscles of the foot;
• obesity;
• injuries to the sole and foot;
• flat feet;
• wearing uncomfortable shoes, including not only high heels, but also models with thin soles without heels at all;
• age-related changes;
• chronic diseases - articular rheumatism, arthrosis, arthritis;
• neurological pathologies of the lower extremities
• the introduction of infection.

A characteristic symptom of the appearance of a heel spur is painful sensations in the foot in the morning when you get out of bed. The patient tries to redistribute the load, unloading the leg. Then the soreness subsides, and in the evening, due to fatigue, reappears.

If at this stage you resort to medication to treat the defect, you can forget about the heel spur after a short therapeutic course. Unfortunately, the treatment of fasciitis begins at a stage when walking already causes quite acute pain.

How to treat a spur on the heel with drug therapy

The diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient's complaints, palpation of the injured limb and X-ray. To find out the causes of the inflammatory process, additional studies may be required: complete blood count, biochemistry, puncture from the damaged area. If a decision is made to treat the disease therapeutically, then you should completely trust the doctor.

How can heel spurs be treated?

The therapeutic scheme is selected individually, based on the clinical picture. Depending on the severity of the inflammatory process, drugs of general and local action can be used.

Inpatient treatment is not required when prescribing conservative therapy, the prescribed procedures can be carried out at home.

First, swelling and painful sensations are eliminated.

For this, non-steroidal drugs of general action are prescribed: "Ibuprofen", "Diclofenac" and the like, or ointments with these medicinal substances, for example, "Contractubex" ointment. Compresses with "Demexid" effectively eliminate swelling.

It may be necessary to use hormonal drugs in the form of ointments: "Hydrocortisone" or "Indomethacin". In advanced cases, "Diprospan" or "Hydrocortisone" is injected into the site of inflammation.

Be sure to prescribe local anti-inflammatory drugs. Currently, you can buy ready-made plasters with drugs. If the inflammation is caused by an infection, general antibiotic therapy may be required.

When treating spurs on the heels, it is effective to connect physiotherapy after elimination of painful sensations. Electrophoresis with "Hydrocortisone", magnetotherapy, laser and shock wave therapy help to stop the inflammatory process.

When prescribing physiotherapy treatment, individual contraindications should be taken into account, based on the history. All of these treatments are able to eliminate inflammation and stop the deformation of the heel bones. If the thorns have managed to grow and ossify, it is possible to get rid of them only promptly.

How to cure spurs on the heels with folk remedies

At the very beginning of fasciitis, it is possible to stop its development with folk remedies.

Traditional medicine offers the following methods of dealing with the disease:

• warming up;
• massage;
• compresses.

How are heel spurs treated at home using the warming method?

To warm up the feet, make baths:

• from salt - 1 kg of sea salt per 5 liters of water;
• from milk whey;
• from vodka.

The duration of the bath is up to 15 minutes. If after 4 treatments the pain persists, the method of treatment should be changed. When treating heel spurs in women with neoplasms in the pelvic area or a tendency to uterine bleeding, warming is contraindicated.

Reflex and direct heel massage should only be done by a specialist.

There are very important points on the foot, the impact on which can change the state of the body. Therefore, you should only trust your heels with a massage therapist with a medical education.

Home massage methods:

• heat coarse salt, sprinkle and trample on it;
• purchase an abacus massager and practice for 15 minutes a day;
• buy an applicator mat and walk on it or stand 2 times a day for 8-12 minutes;
• boil the potatoes, cool them so that they do not burn, and knead them with their heels in mashed potatoes.

After the massage, an iodine net is drawn on the heels and cotton socks are put on the feet.

Compresses can be made medicinal and warming.

1. Plantain compress. Fresh plantain leaves are kneaded and applied overnight on the heel;
2. A very effective way is to stomp on fresh nettles with your steamed bare feet;
3. 6 packets of magnesia are dissolved in a liter of hot water, legs soar until the water cools down, compresses from valerian tincture are applied to the heels. The procedure is done before bedtime. The course of treatment is 10 procedures;
4. An effective method is to pour red pepper into the socks. They wear them as long as they can stand;
5. If you don't need to go out, you can treat fasciitis with raw potatoes. Potatoes are washed, pounded with peel, applied to the foot for a day. 10 procedures and symptoms of the disease subside;
6. Honey compresses - a cake is kneaded on honey or mixed in equal amounts with salt;
7. Crushed garlic compress;
8. Compress of cabbage leaves, which are glued to the heel with honey;
9. For 12 sessions, compresses from boiled potatoes with kerosene or chalk with garlic eliminate pain. To prepare mashed potatoes with kerosene, you need to boil 1 potato in a uniform and dilute to the consistency of sour cream with a teaspoon of kerosene. To formulate a remedy from chalk and garlic, these ingredients are taken in equal amounts.

Diet is of great importance in the treatment of heel spurs.

• It is necessary to give up fatty foods and dishes with a high content of purines - offal, saturated broths and jellies;
• Reduce salt intake;
• Refuse carbonated drinks and juices with preservatives, canned food;
• Expand the drinking regime by using clean water, berry fruit drinks, compotes and dried fruits.

Medical and folk methods not only stop the degenerative process, but also eliminate thorns if they have just begun their growth.

In order to prevent recurrence of plantar fasciitis, it is necessary to protect the legs from increased loads, treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system in time, get rid of excess weight and perform a complex of exercise therapy to prevent flat feet.

When choosing shoes, you should pay special attention to its convenience: if you already have flat feet, you need to use orthopedic insoles.

The health of the legs depends entirely on their owner. Heel pain in the morning is a good enough reason to see an orthopedist or surgeon.