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Heel Spur
Medical Questions » Heel Spur
| Name: Heel Spur |
| Also known as: |
| Inflammation and bone formation at the point where a tendon or ligament attaches to the heel bone. |
Causes of Heel Spur
Beneath and behind your heel, large ligaments and tendons attach to the calcaneum (heel bone). The attachment can be stressed by prolonged over use or by a sudden injury. After injuring a tendon or ligament attachment, the healing process will involve both the tendon or ligament and the bone to which it attaches. During the healing process, part of the ligament or tendon may be replaced by bone, leading to a spur of bone jutting out from the calcaneum. Spurs are subject to further injury, and may have tiny microscopic stress fractures in them, which involve the equally tiny nerves in the area to cause chronic pain. |
Symptoms of Heel Spur
Pain and tenderness at the site of the spur formation behind or under the heel that is worsened by exercise. |
Tests for Heel Spur
Spurs can be seen on an X-ray. |
Treatment for Heel Spur
Prolonged rest and thick padded insoles in shoes will heal the spur, but further use often results in a recurrence of the pain. Active treatment involves the use of pain killers, heat, anti-inflammatory medications, physiotherapy, steroid injections, or as a last resort, an operation to remove the spur.
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Complications of Heel Spur of its treatment
Steroid injections are often very effective, but if used too frequently, can actually damage the surrounding tissue. |
Likely Outcome of Heel Spur
Satisfactory treatment sometimes difficult but usually successful. |
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