After 40-45 years, many women experience acute pain in the foot, even with small loads on their legs or walking. Unpleasant sensations are localized in the calcaneal region, they are constantly amplified. Over time, the pain syndrome becomes very intense, restricts mobility and even leads to disability.
What is the heel spur?
In medicine, the pathology under consideration is called plantar fasciitis. The disease is a growth of the bone in the heel of the calcaneus. It can be located in the Achilles tendon attachment zone or on the plantar side. Scion is in the form of a spine or wedge, because of which the disease is still known as calcaneal spur. This is a chronic problem requiring regular treatment. Otherwise, it will quickly progress and cause complications.
Heel spur - causes
The formation of bone growth is a secondary manifestation of pathology. There are several stages during which the plantar fasciitis develops, the reasons for the growth of the heel are explained by the following successive processes:
- Microrecording of fabrics. To maintain the longitudinal arch of the foot are special ligaments - fascia. In the vertical position of the body, they are subjected to serious stresses, they account for about half of the total mass of a person. Because of this, multiple microscopic ruptures can occur.
- Inflammation. If the integrity of the fascia is not restored, the places of their damage become swollen and bleed. The aseptic inflammatory process begins.
- Bone overgrowth. The body tries to protect surrounding structures. As a reaction to inflammation, a calcaneal spur is formed. It serves as an isolation between the damaged fascia and healthy tissues.
Plantar fasciitis - causes of inflammation
The main factor triggering the mechanism of the development of the disease is the formation of microscopic ruptures in the retaining joints of the joint. The plantar fasciitis of the foot begins for the following reasons:
- diabetes;
- overweight;
- trauma to the heel or foot;
- arthritis ;
- gout ;
- frequent wearing of shoes with high heels;
- periostitis;
- osteoarthritis;
- Bechterew's disease ;
- longitudinal flatfoot;
- rheumatism;
- bursitis ;
- age-related changes in the body, associated with the thinning of the fat pad under the skin.
Heel spur - symptoms
The clinical picture of this disease is pronounced and easily diagnosed. Plantar fasciitis symptoms is as follows:
- acute, burning pain in the calcaneal region with physical exertion;
- change gait, support on the front of the foot;
- the onset of pain syndrome immediately after awakening;
- transverse flatfoot;
- restriction of mobility, the need for a walking stick or other walking aids;
- strengthening and persistence of pain, loss of ability to work.
As the heel spur appears, one can consider only on an x-ray. There are no external signs of the described pathology. In extremely rare cases, slight swelling and skin numbness are noticeable in the calcaneus. Diagnosing a spur is easy by several criteria:
- human complaints;
- localization, intensity and time of occurrence of pain;
- limitation of foot mobility;
- pain with pressure on the base of the heel and its lateral areas;
- X-ray image (as confirmation).
Heel spur treatment
Therapy of plantar fasciitis assumes only the alleviation of the human condition, the reduction or elimination of pain syndrome and the restoration of foot mobility. Radical treatment of the calcaneal spur, which allows to completely get rid of it, has not yet been developed. Bone growth can not be removed, but it is quite comfortable to live with it when using effective therapy.
Plantar fasciitis - which doctor should I contact?
To establish the correct diagnosis the surgeon will help. In most cases, the doctor determines the illness even during the examination. In complex situations, or if it is necessary to differentiate the diagnosis with arthritis, flat feet and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, consultations of adjacent specialists and an X-ray photograph are appointed. How to cure the heel spur, and tell the orthopedist. This doctor deals exclusively with osteoarticular diseases.
Plantar fasciitis - treatment with medicines
Conservative therapy is reduced to the application of local drugs with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. They are applied up to 5 times a day for 2-3 weeks. First, the doctor appoints a gel, cream or ointment from the heel spur:
- Ketorol;
- Voltaren;
- Indomethacin;
- Diclofenac;
- Butadione;
- Ibuprofen;
- Piroxicam;
- Dimexide;
- Olfen and analogues.
Thanks to the listed medicines heel spur causes less pain, improves the mobility and sensitivity of the foot. Additionally, pepper or vegetable patches can be used. They produce an irritating and distracting effect, reduce puffiness and stop the pain syndrome. If local treatment does not have the expected impact, injecting therapy in the form of blockades is used. The classical variant - injections Novokaina in the field of fascia, they are performed no more often than 2 times a day and only during an exacerbation of pathology.
With intensive inflammation, blockages with glucocorticosteroid hormones (1-3 procedures) will be required:
- Flosteron;
- Diprospan ;
- Kenalog.
Patients with plantar fasciitis
Adhesion of a special patch that maximally coincides in elasticity with the human skin, helps relieve the load from the muscles of the foot and ligaments, relaxes them, prevents the emergence of new micro-ruptures, and stops inflammation. To obtain tangible results, 4 weeks (minimum) should be done for kinesiotherapy, a plantar fasciitis of a severe degree requires longer therapy, up to 2 months. The options for applying a patch are shown in the photos below.
Orthopedic insoles for plantar fasciitis
The considered devices are an auxiliary method of treatment or maintenance therapy, prevent recurrence of the disease. Hindquarters with heel spurs are effective only in the early stages of pathology. They lift the back of the foot, which reduces the load on the foot. In addition, these accessories serve as shock absorbers for walking, and the foot hurts less.
The progressive heel spur involves the use of full-fledged orthopedic insoles. They contribute to the correct biomechanics, redistribute the load on the feet and maintain the correct position of fascias in the joint. Insoles reduce fatigue when walking, improve circulation in the legs and stop pain. Such adaptations are selected only individually, they are made by special order.
Exercises with plantar fasciitis
Therapeutic exercise is necessary to increase the elasticity of the ligament apparatus and to prevent microscopic ruptures. Gymnastics with plantar fasciitis is as simple as possible and can be performed at home. It can not be performed if a heel inflamed spur is diagnosed. Exercises are prescribed only after relief is relieved:
- Spread on the floor of small objects with blunt edges. Collect them with your toes in a wide bowl or plate.
- Put your foot on the raised plane (thick book, step) so that the support falls on the toe, and the heel hangs down. Raise and lower the foot, bending it in the ankle, until the appearance of tolerable pain.
- Sit on a chair. Put any cylindrical object on the bolt (bottle, rolling pin). To sweep his sole with his feet.
Treatment of calcaneal spur with shock wave therapy
This method is considered the most effective and modern way to fight the disease. It helps in 90% of cases to facilitate plantar fasciitis, the treatment has the following effects:
- a decrease in the sensitivity of pain receptors;
- elimination of puffiness;
- loosening of calcifications (bony growths);
- acceleration of metabolic processes;
- increasing the elasticity of the ligament apparatus;
- normalization of joint mobility.
Shock-wave therapy of the calcaneal spur consists of a course of manipulation. Total required 5-8 procedures. Each session lasts 10-30 minutes. Shock sound waves can cause painful sensations, but with each next visit to the doctor their intensity decreases. The break between manipulations should be from 3 to 20 days, depending on the severity of the pathology.
Heel spurs - treatment with folk remedies
Alternatives of alternative medicine are not effective in combating plantar fasciitis. Such methods as treating the heel spur can be used as ancillary effects, but only in combination with conservative therapy. Before using folk recipes, it is important to consult a surgeon or an orthopedist, the doctor must approve the chosen means.
Heel spurs - treatment at home with tincture
Ingredients :
- burdock roots - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- grass celandine - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- vodka - 0,5 liters.
Preparation, application
- Mix dry vegetable raw materials.
- Place the herbs in a clean half-liter jar.
- Pour them with vodka to the brim.
- Close the jar, put it in a cool place.
- Insist means 6-7 days.
- Strain the solution.
- Wash the patient with a heel with a spur every evening, before going to bed.
- After the procedure, put on a warm sock.
Treating the calcaneal spur at home quickly with ointment
Ingredients :
- butter of maximum fat content - 200 g;
- natural propolis - 25 g.
Preparation, application
- Grind bee glue.
- Melt it in a water bath.
- Mix with soft oil.
- Transfer the ointment to a clean, dry container.
- Before bedtime rub the affected area with this product.
Removing of calcaneal spur
Surgical intervention is recommended in exceptional cases (less than 5%). This is an effective but dangerous way to get rid of the heel spur. During the operation, the plantar fascia is either cut or cut off from the bone. In addition, the doctor can partially or completely remove the adductor muscle of the thumb of the foot, align the heel surface. Surgical intervention is performed under local anesthesia, classical or laparoscopic technique. It is well tolerated, but sometimes causes complications:
- neuroma;
- tarsal tunnel syndrome;
- recurrent pain in the calcaneus zone;
- infection of the wound;
- worsening spur symptoms.