Wednesday, September 3, 2014

How to Get Rid of Heel Spurs

How to Get Rid of Heel Spurs
A heel spur is the term called when there is a pointed bony outgrowth of the bone of the heel or what we call the calcaneus bone. With this condition, there will be local inflammation at the insertion of the soft tissue tendons or fascia in that area. A heel spur is located at the back of our heel just beneath the sole of our foot. It is often associated with the inflammation of the Achilles tendon or what we call tendinitis. Since our heel bone is the largest bone in our foot, it usually absorbs almost most if not all of the shock and pressure.


This condition is an abnormal growth of your heel bone which is caused by calcium deposits that forms when the plantar fascia pulls away from the heel area this bringing a bony protrusion (heel spur) to develop. This condition can be really extremely painful in the rear foot especially when it carries weight while you walk or even just stand. Here are some of the remedies that might help you in this condition:


Ice & heat
In any kind of inflammation conditions, cold compress is always the answer. The low temperature will halt the inflammation and control the pain as well. This method is very helpful after an acute exacerbation of symptoms. Just put on an ice pack on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes every morning. To prevent frost bites, put a thin cloth on top of the skin surface then put the ice pack. For better results with more effective and all around treatment, use a heat pack in the evening. This will help soothe the constricted muscles and provide better blood circulation. A good 10 to 15 minutes would be more than enough.


You may find the reusable Hot and Cold Gel Pack very convenient. Alternate application of heat and cold compress with a soothing massage, your heel spur condition will be no nuisance anymore.


Night splints
Plantar fascia night splints are very effective as they immobilize and stretch your fascia. They are called night splints because this equipment should be used at night time where we are unconscious of our movements while we sleep.  Similar to a night splint, also consider using orthotic inserts.  These inserts will help your heels as they won’t put much strain on your heels when wearing your shoes.


Stretching and exercise
When you stretch and exercise your feet, you relax the tissues that surround the heel bone too. You can just simply stretch your foot by extending or pointing your toes up then down. Afterwards, you can do a couple of foot rotations. These can exercise you plantar fascia that can provide effective results. Do this routine for 10 minutes in the morning and another 10 minutes before going to sleep.


NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or what we call the NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help you relieve the swelling and will eventually relieve any discomfort that heel spurs may bring.


Comfortable shoes
Take a close look at your shoes and ensure that they are comfortable.  Do they fit properly?  Can you walk around without any type of pain?  Make sure that you have shoes that you can wear comfortably throughout the day.  One step that you can take is simply by bending the shoe.  If you can bend the shoe at the ball of your foot, you will probably want to replace them.


Professional help
If all the home remedies in the world just aren’t helping your problem, you may want to meet with a professional.  In some cases, this extreme pain can either get worse or it could also be a severe injury that needs to be fixed ASAP.




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