A calcium deposit at the bottom of the heel or sole can be very painful. This bony-like outgrowth can be caused by some types of exercise, having flat feet, or wearing poorly fitting shoes or heels. Although heel spurs can be painless, they often cause pain.
Sometimes this pain can be debilitating, interfering with most activities. Surgical treatment is one of the options for treating painful heel spurs. Being overweight can put you at risk of developing a heel spur.
The foot and ankle team at Downtown Podiatry Physicians will obtain x-rays when appropriate, perform a thorough examination, and review surgical and non-surgical options to reduce pain and deformity. Your care team will also discuss recovery time, return to work, and activity.
What is a heel spur?
A heel spur is a bony outgrowth at the bottom of the heel. These growths can be hooked, shelf-like, or pointed and may extend toward the plantar fascia. An x-ray is often used to confirm the diagnosis.
Symptoms of heel spurs
- A knife-like pain at the heel in the morning
- Dull ache the rest of the day
- The heel feels hot
- A bone-like protrusion is sometimes visible
- Swelling at the heel
- Sometimes no symptoms at all
Risk factors for heel spurs
- Older age
- Female sex
- Trauma
- Activities like running
- Excess body weight
- High or low arches
- Ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, or plantar fasciitis
Improper footwear can lead to heel spurs. Our foot and ankle team will evaluate your foot and provide a diagnosis and personalized treatment options.
Surgical treatment of heel spurs
There are two types of surgeries available, the release of plantar fascia and removal of the heel spur.
Plantar fascia release
About 50% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur. In these cases, too much strain on the plantar fascia causes the heel spur to form. So, the pain can be coming from the inflamed plantar fascia instead of the heel spur. Your surgeon can perform a procedure to release the plantar fascia.
This involves cutting this ligament to release tension and reduce inflammation in the plantar fascia. This procedure is outpatient.
Heel spur removal
Your surgeon can remove the bone spur using surgical instruments. This procedure can be done open or with an endoscope, using a couple of smaller incisions.