Are you suffering from heel spurs and/or plantar fasciitis?  If you are, you are probably more than familiar with the intermittent or chronic pain associated with these conditions.  These conditions are especially exacerbated by jogging, running, or walking long distances.  Especially, if inflammation develops at the point of the spur formation.  The cause of the pain is not necessarily the heel spur itself, but the soft-tissue injury associated with it.  

 

Many people describe the pain of heel spurs and plantar fasciitis as a knife or pin sticking into the bottom of their feet when they first stand up in the morning!  OUCH!!  They say the pain then turns into a dull ache as the day goes on.  They also say that the sharp pain tends to return after they stand up after having been sitting for a prolonged period of time.  One would think that rest would be helpful for heel spurs or plantar fasciitis, however, many people say that the pain is the worst AFTER A NIGHT’S SLEEP!  So, what can you do to get rid of this cumbersome pain?  Here are some non-surgical treatments your podiatrist can recommend:

 

• Wearing different types of shoes… we can give shoe recommendations for minimizing heel pressure
• Various stretching exercises
• Shoe inserts or orthotic devices
• Physical therapy
• Taping or strapping to rest stressed muscles and tendons
• Injecting a cortisteroid in the area of inflammation

 

More than 90 percent of people get better with non-surgical treatments, so rest assured, this is usually the case!  For future reference, you can try to prevent heel spurs by wearing well-fitting shoes with shock-absorbent soles, supportive heel counters, and rigid shanks.  Also, be sure to choose appropriate shoes for each physical activity, and do appropriate warm-up and stretching exercises before each activity.  Call Dr. Joseph Stuto if you are experiencing recurrent heel pain, or are having any other foot or ankle issue.  He has 2 convenient Brooklyn locations available to see patients.