Posted in Foot Care A common misunderstanding when identifying heel pain is to look at the wrong bone spurs in the heel. When one spur thought to cause the pain, in actuality does not, it usually an additional commonly overlooked spur. This article will go through all these and their contribution to foot pain Generally two spots on the heel that with the traction of pulling from tendons and ligaments can cause foot and heel pain. The most common place for the heel spur is under the heel bone even though this is rarely the true source of the pain. The planter fascia is a ligament that runs the length of the arch and supports the overlying anatomic structure of the foot. Some individuals who have flat or flattening feet an increase in tension is felt on this ligament resulting in chronic inflammation to the tissue. This inflammation is referred to as plantar fasciitis and is usually the true source of heel pain. The spur generally associated with this is just a traction triggered calcification of the attached fascia tissue adhere to it. The spur usually runs parallel to the ground and is not felt externally. In some people there is no pain at all from these spurs. There are, however, other conditions that can cause heel spurs and their associated symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis and a group of illnesses associated with seronegative arthropathies can play a part in heel spurs and heel pain. With these conditions the heel spurs are fluffy and face downwards and can cause increased pain especially with high weight bearing. It should be noted that a general misconception people hold is that the arthritis they feel in their hands hips and other joints is the same or extension as the one they feel in their heel. In reality these instances of arthritis are only on single or group of joints referred to osteoarthritis. The arthritic conditions mentioned above destroy join tissue and not just the mechanical joint and is very different from what people know as arthritis. The other common place for heel spurs is at the back of the heel behind the attachment point at the Achilles tendon. Tightness here can cause a great deal of tension on the back of the heel bone. After some time like this a spur formation can occur which can become calcified with bone like deposits. Over time these bone deposits will cause irritation and inflammation to surrounding tissue. Usually the pain from this is attributed to a bone spur and can become extremely disabling with the risk of the tendon rupturing. Calcification is commonly misdiagnosed as a fracture of the spur from the heel bone. There is also the Haglund's deformity or pump bump which can be associated with heel pain. Although these are not a spur they are simply an enlargement of the top surface of the back of the heel bone. This enlargement can cause inflammation and irritation which can worsen with tight ill fitting shoes. Even though the spur in a traditional sense is not present the symptoms may not be dissimilar from a spur on the back of the heel. Any treatment must address the underlying cause of the pain. To treat heel pain on the bottom of the foot usually just treating the area with an anti inflammatory is enough. When the pain is due to the arthritic conditions mentioned above treatment of the underlying condition is best and in some cases shaving of the spurs can bring significant relief. For heel pain associated with Haglund's deformity treatment involves loosening the Achilles tendon and using anti inflammatory measures to stabilize the ankle. Surgery can be employed to remove the spurs themselves in this case to but only as a last case measure. Heels spurs can be misunderstood in their role in heel pain but prompt identification and correct treatment of the cause of the pain is essential as treatment differs from cause to cause.
No Comments » Tags: foot pain, heel bone, Heel pain, heel spurs, identifying heel, identifying heel pain, treat heel pain
No comments:
Post a Comment