Bone spurs on my heel

[Golden sunsets]

Hello folks; I'm looking for help with this topic. I haven't been officially diagnosed yet, but will shortly visit an orthopedic doc to determine the cause of pain in my heel. I wonder what the treatment options will be and what success rate to expect, without surgery. My GP mentioned PT with ultrasound as a likely option if the diagnosis is bone spurs. Any thoughts on this from those who have experienced the same? Thx in advance.

 

[Mdlerth]

Consider visiting a podiatrist. I did, and she built me some orthotic inserts along with recommending a different pair of shoes. Problem solved without surgery.

When you look at a skeletal model of the human foot, you can see sharp, bony pointy bits all over. It's a wonder any of us can walk at all!

Good luck. I have been there and know how painful this condition can be.

 

[Dave J]

I had a bone growth on back of my heel along with a spur on top part of big toe. The growth was causing a lot of pain at times and PT cured it. I did not believe it could, but certain stretching exercises did the trick.Hope it works for you, my GP warned not to go to surgery unless it is a last resort, as he had had a lot of patients worse off after surgery.

 

[Gotadimple]

If your GP confirmed bone spurs, the orthopedist will like recommend a podiatrist, who will do one of three things: 1 send you to PT 2 Recommend a commercial foot insert or prescribe custom orthotics 3 surgery (as a last resort when PT or orthotics don't solve the problem).

- Rita

 

[tomc5179]

I had a heel spur give me trouble the first time about 10 years ago and the Doctor had me do stretching as it was aggravating the back strap tendon that goes under the heel. That fixed it for several years until about 3-4 years ago and this time, stretching didn't work. He gave me a shot (steroid or cortisone sp?) in the heel and along with stretching, that took care of it. Haven't had a problem since.

The shot in the heel was no fun, but compared to the continuous heel pain, I was happy to have it done. The pain was gone after a day or two. The doctor also told me that in serious cases, surgery could be done to remove the spur, but the majority of them can be managed by regular stretching. So, that is what I do and no more problems so far.

 

[Red Badger]

Good advice

Consider visiting a podiatrist. I did, and she built me some orthotic inserts along with recommending a different pair of shoes. Problem solved without surgery.

When you look at a skeletal model of the human foot, you can see sharp, bony pointy bits all over. It's a wonder any of us can walk at all!

Good luck. I have been there and know how painful this condition can be.

Plantar fasciitis can feel exactly like "heel spurs." Same results for me. Family doc suspected spurs, so I went to a podiatrist, and yup, PF. Shoe inserts ($200) solved the problem. I now get lots of PF insert from Amazon ($10-15) so I don't swap them out from different shoes. New shoes? pull out factory insoles and replace with PF insoles - done!

Good luck!

Plantar fasciitis Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

 

[O2Bfree]

Have you tried a night splint? I've had heel pain flare up a couple times from bone spurs (which were diagnosed in my late 20s), and wearing the splint takes care of it. It's also great for plantar fasciitis.

If you get a night splint, don't get the "soft" type. Get the one that looks like the back half of a ski boot with velcro straps that wrap around your shin and foot.

 

[Fedup]

My husband has plantar fasciitis, doctor did some x-ray and gave him something to wear at night, it helped a bit but he kept hurting his leg when he ran. He has been taking turmeric religiously everyday and it doesn't hurt anymore. In the past when he touched the heel, he could feel some tenderness. However, since our 4 months trip from Europe, he decided not to run anymore. Problem went away even when he touch his heel, no more tenderness.

 

[Bamaman]

My wife has been suffering with mid foot arthritis, and it's in a joint on top of her feet. She has great foot pain and can barely wear shoes on either feet. And she has bone spurs that are keeping the joint apart--since she no longer has any cartlidge.

Surgery requires plates and screws, and is only about 60 per cent effective. Revovery time is 6 months or longer per foot. And the problem often reoccurs. An orthopaedic surgeon will always prescribe custom orthodics to put in your shoes and a rocker style shoe--brand Alegria. Only thing right now keeping her mobile is Volteran Gel and lydacaine cream.

Take care of your feet as they're very complex.

 

[Marita40]

I agree that heel pain may also be plantar fasciitis. In fact, I'm dealing with it now and finding that rolling the foot and painful area on a rolling pin, and lots of calf stretches help.
As to surgery be very cautious. I had surgery to remove a bone spur on my big toe (of the other foot) one year ago. The spur was back within 6 months (the ortho surgeon looked at the xray and said "oh.") And I am still sore and painful from the surgery--it can take more than a year to heal from the operation itself, never mind that it didn't work at all. Lesson learned in a tragic way...

 

[Wheel]

+1 on PT making a huge difference! Bone spur on my heel, right below where the Achilles connects. Pretty much constant pain when walking for ~6 months. Dr sent me to a PT, where stretching and strengthening leg muscles (everything is connected I was told) helped tremendously. Pain free and back to walking for 5 months and counting. Best of luck!

 

[Golden sunsets]

Thanks all. I do want to avoid surgery. My PCP wants me to avoid a podiatrist and see an orthopedist. He feels there is a big difference between the two. I have a strong suspicion that it is a bone spur, based on a visit to a podiatrist several years ago for a problem with a toe. He remarked at the time that the x-rays showed bone spurs on my heel but I was not bothered by them at the time. I have been a stationary walker for years and have had to avoid the treadmill for the past several months because of pain in one heel. Thus my need to correct this if possible.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Duplicate post

 

[Fedup]

I think my husband saw an orthopedist and he did NOT recommend surgery, he only recommend physical therapy. No stroud shot either IIRC.