Heel spurs?

rprussell2004

This is vaguely fitness-related, right?

I can't get into a specialist for another freaking MONTH, but I figure at least one of you good folks has had issues with running and achilles problems and foot pain, etc.

I fully realize this is not a medical site, etc, etc, etc. I solemnly swear not to take anything anyone says without a grain of salt.

That said, take a look at this:



The problem I was having a couple weeks ago can best be summed up as excruciating pain in this heel. The urgent care I went to pointed at this bit on the heel and said there was some cloudy gunk in there which was causing the problem. There was no word as to whether or not this big hook thing (labeled "???") was normal or not.

They sent me a copy of my x-rays and I Googled normal heel images to compare, and noplace can I see an example of this - EXCEPT in the case of 'heel spurs,' which are (a) decidedly NOT normal, and (b) occur on the bottom of the foot. (I might have one coming on - see "Secondary" label.)

Anyway. It feels almost totally fine - I've been in a boot and on/off crutches since the urgent care visit. I'm not gonna go running again anytime soon, but I wanted to see if anyone out there has had experience with something like this.

I was really enjoying getting in shape, too! :drinker:

[edit]

The pain was strictly in the heel, on the back of the heel. The urgent care doc poked and prodded everywhere on the foot/ankle and I was fine, but when he tapped the back of my heel I about leaped out of my skin. (Picture the orange cat in the old Warner Brothers cartoons.) I'm pretty confident it's not plantar fascitis and am calling the specialist every day to see if they've had any cancellations.


Thanks,
R

drgndancer

I feel pretty confident responding to this. You almost certainly have plantar fasciitis, which is when your plantar fascia is swollen and tearing away from the heel. The plantar fascia is the connective tissue that holds the front of your foot attached to the back of your foot and creates your arch. When it starts to tear away from the heel you get the x-ray you've displayed (I know because mine looked just like that). The "cloudy gunk" is scar tissue from the damage, and the bone spur is your heel bone trying to grow out far enough to reattach. According to the podiatrist I got all this from, doctors used to think that the spurs themselves were the cause of the problem, and do surgery to remove them. Better imagery has taught them that the spurs are a symptom and not painful in and of themselves. What hurts is the connective tissue at the tear.

The good news is that this is totally correctable, the bad news is it'll take a while. If your pain is like mine was, it hurts most first thing in the morning, or after you've been sitting or laying down for a while. Once you're moving, it gets better (though it still hurts), and ironically it hurts least of all when you've been running or waking for a while. This is because the connective tissue stretches out after a bit of movement, and stops pulling on the injured portion.

There area number of over the counter ways to treat this condition. You can get splints or special socks that keep your feet at a 90 degree angle while you sleep. My doctor didn't like these, and felt they were counter productive, but lots of people report relief from them and studies on the matter are mixed. If you stretch your calves (and by extension your feet and heels) before you get out of bed, it can help a lot with the initial "OMFG, the first ten steps are blinding agony" that you see when you first get out of bed. It'll still hurt, but it'll feel more like it does later in the day. Most importantly you want to get arch supporting inserts for your shoes. Wear these especially while running, but preferably in all of your shoes. I use Power Step insoles, but any brand with lots of support should work. These run around $50 a pair. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Aspirin are a big help.

A doctor will probably prescribe more powerful prescription NSAIDs and custom orthotics. The latter are a lot more expensive than off the shelf orthotics ($450 a pair was the quote I got), and my doctor didn't think they were much more effective than the off the self variety. He gave me a prescription for them if I wanted them, but told me to give the off the shelf once a bit first. They turned out to be fine.

With orthotics you don't have to stop running, though you should probably reduce your mileage and it may slow healing a bit. I stopped for a couple of weeks until the pain got more manageable, then started up again at lower mileage wearing my orthotics. Other people I know never stopped completely at all. It'll take a few months for the pain to go completely away regardless, and continuing running won't add much time to this.

ETA: I'm still not a doctor and you still shouldn't consider this medical advice... I feel pretty confident I'm right, but that isn't the same as perfectly confident.

brandyk77

I have had heel spurs for at least 8 years and PF off and on. I haven't really had to stop running but I have found that some PT, the right fitted shoe (not orthotics for me) and losing weight did the trick.

I also take a connective tissue supplement by Hammer nutrition and will break out the Strassberg sock when I have a flare up

rprussell2004

That's great info, thanks!

I should note (since I didn't before) that the blinding pain was not on the sole, but was pretty much centered on the back of my heel, right where that big outcropping is. And there was almost NO position I could get my foot in that would make it stop - flexing or relaxing my ankle both hurt. Moving more was just not an option and I was halfheartedly considering amputation if it would make the pain go away.

But the doc had ruled out plantar fascitis, simple because of the location of the pain. He figured it was some sort of achilles tendonitis at the time - didn't even mention the heel spur on the sole of the foot - but said nothing about being able to fix it.

marcia724

Oh gosh. I'm having the same pain. I'm procrastinating on going to the dr. yipes!

abcmom03

Yep....plantar fasciitis. Painful and it sucks! I finally had to have surgery to fix mine. I did orthotics, stretching, etc. and it all helped for awhile but mine was too far gone when I finally went to the podiatrist. I found that taping my foot helped alot and you can find videos online to show you the correct way to tape. Good luck!

UnderConstructionLuis

Thanks for that info drgndancer. I swear i am dealing with this very issue in my left heel. I never had xray done but what you described in the feelings in the mornings, and after sitting or laying down are identical to what i am feeling. And like you said, the pain seems to be less when walking and running. Thanks again for the info.

brandyk77

But the doc had ruled out plantar fascitis, simple because of the location of the pain. He figured it was some sort of achilles tendonitis at the time - didn't even mention the heel spur on the sole of the foot - but said nothing about being able to fix it.

they all are sort of related. I have also had achilles tendonitis (due to a severe ankle sprain I think). More than likely the sock/boot will help any of them. I would be wary of orthotics. they are a huge investment and your feet change over time. often a store bought insole is a better more temporary option. those normally run about 40 bucks and if you need a different level of support in 4 months, you can just buy another $40 pair.

rprussell2004

Oh gosh. I'm having the same pain. I'm procrastinating on going to the dr. yipes!

Well, on the UPside, he did say it's nothing that I 'did to myself' in the past few months (since I started running), so (a) it's not gonna go away if I didn't get it looked at, but (b) it's not something acute that SUDDENLY HAPPENED. I just gave up on dealing with the pain after two days and after curling into a ball whimpering "make it stop make it stop make it stop..."

abigailhutch

Wow! Thanks for the great info...I have been having some foot pain too! I am looking up those insoles now!

6spdeg

i have heel a spur and i ended up having to wear crocs you usually can get from foot dr or order online only. not from reg stores or any croc stores specific for a spur... crocs RX or something like that.

helps out a ton.. getting good shoes is usually the way to go to resolve running iss's but do take some time off and stretch and even use the rolling an ice bottle method will numb it for a bit.

Suz_w8loss

OMG I am sooo happy to read this post. I have had this issue for a couple weeks now. I have been rolling my heel over a frozen bottle of water after each run & before I go to sleep. I ordered some heel cups on Amazon & I am hoping they will help. It is not hurting to the point of being in agony, but it is definitely sore in the mornings and an hour or so after my runs. I do not want to stop running because I am halfway through half marathon training.

rprussell2004

I am being irrationally resistant to buying new shoes. I wear Vibram fivefingers and I haven't been able to bear having "real" shoes since I got used to them.

Even the tennis shoe - which used to fit me great, mind you - that I'm wearing to offset the height of my boot puts my foot to sleep and I have to take it off when I'm not actually walking.

I have great, great disdain for athletic shoes...

...but I'll try not to let that get in the way of healing myself :grumble:

BrendarB

take it from someone who had to have surgery to get the bone off the back of the heel, detatch the achilles tendon and now has it on the other foot - get rid of the vibrams - get back into a heel lift shoe - I loved my minimalist shoes also - not worth the pain or the now possibility of another surgery - I had surgery over a year ago, and still have problems with that achilles tendon - trust me, not worth it

vkruithof

I have been having the same problem in my left foot. My heel feeling crushed. I thought it was because of the weight I'd put on, but my chiropractor said that was just aggrivating it, not the problem and that I should look into orthotics too. Ugh. I am so glad I read this. Thank you all for your advice!

rprussell2004

take it from someone who had to have surgery to get the bone off the back of the heel, detatch the achilles tendon and now has it on the other foot - get rid of the vibrams - get back into a heel lift shoe - I loved my minimalist shoes also - not worth the pain or the now possibility of another surgery - I had surgery over a year ago, and still have problems with that achilles tendon - trust me, not worth it

Gorram reality getting in the way of my plans.

I did specifically ask the doc whether the vibrams were the issue, and he told me (quite emphatically, while at the same time mocking my frog feet) they were NOT.

I will seriously consider this even though previous to this episode, my feet felt stronger and healthier than ever before. I could walk and stand for HOURS (example: during an all-day art fair in the hot sun) in the Vibrams, which was unheard of in my old "supportive" sandals and/or shoes.

Sigh.

BrendarB

take it from someone who had to have surgery to get the bone off the back of the heel, detatch the achilles tendon and now has it on the other foot - get rid of the vibrams - get back into a heel lift shoe - I loved my minimalist shoes also - not worth the pain or the now possibility of another surgery - I had surgery over a year ago, and still have problems with that achilles tendon - trust me, not worth it

Gorram reality getting in the way of my plans.

I did specifically ask the doc whether the vibrams were the issue, and he told me (quite emphatically, while at the same time mocking my frog feet) they were NOT.

I will seriously consider this though.

Firefly

anyway - the vibrams really aren't the issue in a kinda they are a little way - my dr told me the same thing - the problem is the stress on the achilles from the spur - it can weaken and snap (trust me you don't want that) the heel lifts help alleviate the pressue and pain associated with Achilles Tendonitis and lesses the stress on the tendon so you don't have your tendon snap and roll up to your knee - but, i'm not a dr, just passing on what mine said

brandyk77

I am being irrationally resistant to buying new shoes. I wear Vibram fivefingers and I haven't been able to bear having "real" shoes since I got used to them.

Even the tennis shoe - which used to fit me great, mind you - that I'm wearing to offset the height of my boot puts my foot to sleep and I have to take it off when I'm not actually walking.

I have great, great disdain for athletic shoes...

...but I'll try not to let that get in the way of healing myself :grumble:

Um..think these might be related?

In those you have no heel lift which causes your calf muscle and achilles to stretch and work overtime.

I think you need a second opinion.

Will210

I had terrible pain on one foot and so-so pain on the other. The bad pain was due to spurs in both directions. I starting using foam inserts which would help with week 1 but after that the pain would creep back.

Then I decided on the Good Feet store. I was very disappointed on seeing the inserts - look like cheap plastic. About 8 years later I have not had any pain since using those inserts *knock on wood*. Still using the originals and have purchased two more for athletic and dress shoes - just to avoid the pain of changing them out.

rprussell2004

I am being irrationally resistant to buying new shoes. I wear Vibram fivefingers and I haven't been able to bear having "real" shoes since I got used to them.

Um..think these might be related?

In those you have no heel lift which causes your calf muscle and achilles to stretch and work overtime.

I think you need a second opinion.

Getting one.

I have been assured they are NOT related, nor do I believe they are related. If it were the Vibrams, I would show some sign of SOMETHING in the other foot, but it's happy as a clam.

That said, any minimalist shoes require months of adjusting to for that exact reason. One does not simply jump into Vibrams and expect them to be the same as shoes with heel lift.

Trust me, I took my time getting into these things. I have a feeling they simply showed me a problem which was already there. If anything, the doc said that the strap running around the back of the shoe "just happens" to rub against the tendon where the heel spur is - which would totally aggravate it, but is incidental to the type of shoe it is. Anything that applies pressure to the back of the foot would do the same thing.

I do agree that having a heel lift would reduce the strain on the tendon though. That's sort of obvious. So I need to weigh the pros/cons and of course talk to another doctor.

Also...

don't have your tendon snap and roll up to your knee

OW SWEET JESUS DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT.

I have an image of a windowshade snapping and rolling up stuck in my head now. I'm gonna be cringing for the rest of the day.

Kopsbaby

I also have been plagued with heel spurs and PF. I had them in my right foot in 2010, when I went through PT, night splints, etc., etc., and still had to have the surgery. I am now dealing with it in my left foot, but this time it is more concentrated in the heel. Very painful. I'm currently taking PT and go back to the doc on Aug. 28th. We'll see from there. After PT it feels fine for a while then the pain comes back again. I try to do the exercises but sometimes it's just not possible at work. I hope I don't have to have surgery again but as I told the doctor, "nothing worked the first time and I have my doubts it will work now." I even had the shots and it did nothing. Hope yours doesn't come to that and PT will be enough for you, once you even get into the doc that is.

BTW, I even had a spur on my left wrist, so you can get them anywhere. I had that removed just this past January.