heel spurs

cdanko

cdanko

Active Member
Hi! Has anyone had a problem with plantar faciattis (sp?) and heel spurs? I have been working out for 20+ years and my heel has a spur. Very painful to run. I have been prescribed orthotics - haven't gotten them yet. I am worried that they will not work and I am so scared that I will not be able to work out like I am used to and want to. Anyone know what the recovery time is if I have to have the spur surgically taken care of? Thanks.
 
Yes, there are several here who have had experience with plantar faciitis, me included. My bout was many ago. I could barely walk at one point the pain was so bad. I saw a podiatrist who diagnosed me, gave me a cortisone shot in each heel (which didn't help me at all and since he did it near the side bone, it hurt like hades), and prescribed orthotics. The orthotics helped tremendously. I would still feel some pain if I was on my feet too much, but the orthotics kept my foot in proper alignment and position with little to no pain for normal daily activity (which to be honest at that time what not much activity).
 
PF but not heel spurs and I am starting to get discouraged. I was diagnosed in December. It has gotten a bit better but I still can't do half the stuff I could before. I did just get a prescription for orthotics, pt and a night splint so I am hoping it helps some. My doctor decided not to try the cortisone shot as I think he said my heel pad (some pad) was too thin. I've also had 6 other cortisone shots for various ailments and not 1 of them helped.

What has helped me:
1. 30 days NO cardio
2. 30 days non impact cardio
3. New tennis shoes
4. Birkenstocks for home (all the time except in shower)
5. Dansko clogs for other times
6. alternating ice and heat for 20 minutes a night
7. Icing in the morning
8. Stretching exercises and rolling a tennis ball under my heel

Colleen
 
I always forget the Birkenstocks and Danskos...I also bought pairs of each of them and wore them religously. The doc said no bare feet, so I wore my Birkies around the house the Danskos out and about.
 
I have PF and also they saw heel spurs on the X-ray. I have been dealing with it since Oct. of last year. I got 2 cortisone shots in my affected heel which did help some. I now have orthotics and can now exercise like I did before. It is a great feeling, stepping doesn't even hurt anymore. So I suggest getting the orthotics and using them religiously. They do make a difference. Are you sure it is the heel spur causing the problem? Because my foot doctor told my that usually it is not the spur itself but the plantar fasious tendon/ muscle rubbing and being stretched too far causing pain. I actually have heel spurs on both heels but only 1 foot has the PF.

Hope that helps some
:)
 
here is a post refering to PF:

After having PF and bone spurs from the prolonged inflamation I can empathise with you. My pain was to the point that putting weight on my foot first thing in the morning was dreaded.

Here are the changes that really helped me to get the inflamation down and pain subsequently disappeared. These were changed I made under the care of a podiatrist.

1. Elongating your calves helps minimize the pulling on the plantar fascia and decrease the inflmation (read decrease pain here). So, strech your calves several times per day. I streched before getting out of bed, while brushing my teeth, and any time I could get away with it.

2. Anti-inflamatory meds help too. I used naproxen (Aleve)


3.Completely stopping high impact cardio for 6 weeks. This was tough, but really allowed for the imflamation to subside. I rode a stationary bike for the 6 weeks.

4. I had prescription orthotics made. The can be expensive. I keep them in my workout sneakers 100% of the time. At first they need to be worn in gradually increasing time periods to get your feet used to them. Some people also recommend over the counter supports. Try a good running shoe store for help.

5. Never go bare foot. This position pulls more on the plantar fascia and contributes more to the inflamation and pain. In some cases the bone grows out from the plantar fascia making a bone growth (spur).

I have spurs on both heels, but no pain now. The spurs will not go away but keeping the inflamation in check eases the pain.

Keep stretching, Keep stretching , Keep stretching!!!

I now do all of Cathe's workouts and have plantar pain only once in a blue moon or less.


Judy
 
I had PF with heel spur and what each podiatrist I saw told me was the spur itself does not cause pain.
Rather, it is the inflamation of the plantar fascia. I laid off cardio and did three rounds of PT and cortisone before opting for the surgery to partially realease the fascia. I was on my feet (in one of those huge boot things) within twenty-four hours. She did not remove the rather large spur. I've been symptom free since I had it and it will be a year on May 20.
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

- Mary Oliver
 
Unlike most others who replied, the cortisone shot really helped me. The orthotics helped some, the stretching helped a little, but the injections helped almost immediately. What helped the most, though, was losing weight. I didn't believe it could help so much, but after a 15-pound loss, I only get twinges now and then. This is not a sure thing, though, because my podiatrist says she has lots of skinny patients with plantar fasciitis and/or spurs.
 
Recovery time will vary but faster if you do the stretches and exercises you get if they send you for PT. I am finally almost 100% pain free - 7 months w/ PF but didn't go to the MD until February. The custom orthotics were great. I tried many over the counter ones and none worked for me. They gave me a Strassburg Sock to wear at night which works like a night splint to keep you foot flexed but less bulky than the splint. It was getting better then bad couple weeks and then one morning I got out of bed prepared for the pain and nothing. My MD is a Sports MD and doesn't believe in cortisone shots unless absolutely a last resort. I got a catalog - Foot Smart that had lots of things for PF sufferers. Maybe check out their web sight. Just got Birkenstock sandals based on comments from others and they feel great. Don't want a relapse! Good luck!
 
I had a little problem with heel pain last summer. I bought those gel heel inserts and wore them in all my shoes. The pain went away after about 4 weeks or so.
 
My first experience with PF and heel spurs lasted almost all of 1999 in my left foot. However with the following steps I got rid of the pain. Unfortunately, currently I have it in my right foot and am taking this advice again!

Here are the changes that really helped me to get the inflamation down and pain subsequently disappeared. These were changed I made under the care of a podiatrist.

1. Elongating your calves helps minimize the pulling on the plantar fascia and decrease the inflmation (read decrease pain here). So, strech your calves several times per day. I streched before getting out of bed, while brushing my teeth, and any time I could get away with it.

2. Daily Anti-inflamatory meds help too. I used naproxen (Aleve)


3.Completely stopping high impact cardio for 6 weeks. This was tough, but really allowed for the imflamation to subside. I rode a stationary bike for the 6 weeks.

4. I had prescription orthotics made. The can be expensive. I keep them in my workout sneakers 100% of the time. At first they need to be worn in gradually increasing time periods to get your feet used to them. Some people also recommend over the counter supports. Try a good running shoe store for help.

5. Never go bare foot. This position pulls more on the plantar fascia and contributes more to the inflamation and pain. In some cases the bone grows out from the plantar fascia making a bone growth (spur).

I have spurs on both heels, but no pain now. The spurs will not go away but keeping the inflamation in check eases the pain.

Keep stretching, Keep stretching , Keep stretching!!!



Judy
"Likes2bfit" since 1999
 
At this time I have PF,heel spur and achilles tendonitis in my right foot. I have delt with it since May due to not going to the doctor till Aug. So immediate attention is important. I have been wearing a boot cast for 6 wks for my achilles tendonitis. I have had PF in my foot before in 2001. And 6 wks. ago a heel spur showed up on the x-ray. I have been going to physical therapy for 6 wks also. So I have learned that stretching, stretchin, stretching is important. I am finally tomorrow being put in orthotics in my shoes.


So the important things to remember are:


1. stretch the calves really good. these are some exercises:

a. sit on floor with legs out straight and take a towel,wrap around back of foot and pull your foot towards you. Do this 10 times very slowly and careful and hold each one for 5 counts.

b. Use a step or stairs, and hang heel over the end and do heel dips. Do these slowly also. Do 5 for 5 counts.

c. Put hands against wall and take the injured foot back and lower heel down slowly. Do these for the same counts.

Warm you ankles up by doing the bike for 8 mins. And the bike is the only cardio I can do right now.

I would usually take Motrin three times a day.


You should probably see a doctor soon, but these are some of the things that are really good in the healing process.

The one thing I learned is that the calve is the key. Especially involving Achilles tendonitis. The calve muscle runs down the tendon of the heel down to the bottom.


I have blabbed too much, but I hope you go to the doctor soon, because it takes a while before it goes away. And really it never truly goes away.


kim
 
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