In the past, doctors believed that the pain in the heel of the foot was caused by bony tumors that formed in the foot. Today it is already understood that those tumors are the result of various inflammations that may develop in the heel. Those inflammations are known as leg spurs, and they are the ones that cause the pain.
The human leg contains about 28 bones, 35 joints, dozens of muscles and tendons and no less than about 8,000 nerves. Therefore, when inflammation develops in one of the heels of the feet, also known as a spur on the foot, a person’s basic movement ability is impaired. The foot has a band of thick, fibrous tissue that reaches from the heel to the toes. This tissue supports the muscles and arch of the foot. When it is stretched too much due to strenuous activity, tiny tears can form and cause pain and inflammation.
Heel spur is a popular name given to the inflammation that develops in the lower part of the heel in a band called a sprain. The spur is one of the most common problems for pain in the feet. Many in the population suffer or will suffer from spurs during their lives.
People who suffer from spurs will sometimes notice a bony bump coming out of the heel bone towards the toes. The name porcupine was given to the inflammation due to the similarity between the protruding bone and stepping on a porcupine thorn. In the past, doctors tended to attribute the pain in the leg to that bump, but today, estimates indicate that the bump is caused by the inflammation and is the one that creates the pain.
The causes of inflammation of the diaper strap vary from person to person. People who stand, walk, run for a long time, on hard surfaces, have high chances of suffering from a heel spur. For example, teachers, waiters, factory workers, professional athletes and dancers are in a risk group. Those professionals are obliged to pay attention to correct handling of the foot.
Other causes of leg spurs can be:
In order to avoid the appearance of a spur on the foot, it is important to pay attention and use shoes that are suitable for the anatomical structure of the foot (according to the shape of the arches). In addition, it is important to remember that the most expensive sports shoes are not always the right shoes. I am thinking of consulting with professionals regarding the shoe that is most suitable for the structure of the foot.
A spur in the foot manifests itself in the pain felt in the area of the foot and heel. The pain is mainly felt after getting up from sleep or a long rest. The intensity of the pain is individual and varies from person to person. Some will describe a feeling of dull pain while others experience a sharp pain that often resembles a stabbing. Also, some people report pain that manifests as a burning sensation.
In most cases, those suffering from heel spurs complain of the onset of pain during the first steps in the morning, after standing for a long time or while going up or down stairs. During the day the pain can weaken and then appear suddenly.
The most important and available solution is foot rest. Place an ice pack on the spot for about 20 minutes several times a day in order to feel pain relief. In addition, try to reduce physical activity as much as possible and avoid walking with bare feet.
Wearing comfortable shoes with padding in the heel area can help with pain. If the shoe does not help, use silicone insoles with a soft surface under the heel.
A variety of pain relievers can be used for temporary pain relief.
In severe cases of porcupine that is not treated properly, the inflammation continues to develop and the usual treatments do not help. Such cases require surgical intervention in which the ligament is partially severed from the heel or part of it is cut.
it’s important to remember!
If the spur in the leg is ignored and not treated, chronic inflammation may develop. The development of chronic inflammation can cause a change in the way you walk and as a result lead to problems with your legs, knees or back.
The use of the soft laser technology to treat pain has been used in the worlds of medicine for the past decades. The soft laser penetrates through the skin into the tissues and stimulates  biostimulant processes in the body that allow pain relief and treatment of inflammation. The laser beam operates on two main fronts:
The first front is pain relief, the use of the soft laser increases the release of the endorphin hormone in our brain. The endorphin is responsible for alleviating the pain we feel, by increasing the release we can feel pain relief.
The second front is the treatment of the source of the problem. Compared to the variety of drugs for pain relief, the laser treatment not only relieves the pain but also treats the source of the problem, by increasing the release of anti-inflammatory enzymes and expanding the blood flow to the place, detoxification and treatment of inflammation is possible.
An innovative Israeli development offers home treatment with a soft laser, meet the Be Cure Laser. The device that was nicknamed a “technological miracle” offers effective and convenient home treatment for pain and inflammation. Between 6-8 minutes a day, twice a day and in a short time you will feel the relief from the pain and later even get rid of the inflammation and the spur in the leg. Apart from the fact that it is an easy to operate device, which is not accompanied by side effects and is suitable for all family members of all ages, one of the reasons why Laser Cure became a varnish Popular is the recommendation of many expert doctors in the field. “There is a wide range of pain conditions that people suffer from, and the Be Cure laser is a useful tool for them,” notes Professor Daniel Reiss, one of the most senior orthopedists in Israel . “In order to treat the symptoms, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and local injection are sometimes used. It is better that the treatment is not done in this way but with the device, which is not accompanied by complications,” added Professor Reiss. The recommendations of the senior doctors about the device, along with other recommendations of patients, are backed up by various studies conducted about it. A study conducted at the Sapienza University in Rome compared the treatment of joint pain using the B Cure laser and drug treatment of pain. In this study, it was proven that the use of laser therapy is just as effective as drug therapy.
Instructions for the treatment of spurs: the bottom of the foot, on the heel, parallel to the arch of the foot and the back of the heel must be treated. Start with a dose of one and a half minutes for each treatment point, and gradually increase the dose by 30 seconds each day, until you reach a 6-8 minute treatment for each treatment point, twice a day.
A spur in the foot can appear in anyone. There are several risk factors that increase the chance of its appearance:
The shape of the foot can also be a risk factor – a flat foot or a high arch in the foot can cause a spur to appear.
To try and prevent the appearance of the spur, it is important to be aware of the risk factors. You should wear the right and appropriate shoes, reduce prolonged standing, and exercise gradually. Athletes should consult with doctors and physiotherapists.
If you feel chronic pain in the foot – whether dull, sharp or prolonged pain – you may be suffering from a heel spur. To diagnose the inflammation, it is recommended to go to an orthopedist. The doctor will examine the foot and ask you some questions regarding the pain, the location of the pain, your physical activity, etc. The final diagnosis is made through a simple x-ray test, which shows if there is indeed a bump in the heel area. It is recommended to go to the orthopedist immediately when you feel pain, to prevent the situation from worsening.
Symptoms of a spur in the foot mainly revolve around pain in the foot. It can be a sharp pain like a knife in the heel, which appears immediately when you stand up in the morning, or rather dull pains that last throughout the day and get stronger after getting up from rest or while climbing the stairs. There may be tender points in the foot that will make it difficult to walk, especially if you walk barefoot. More advanced symptoms appear when the inflammation develops and leads to swelling of the heel, heat radiating from the area as well as a small bump under the heel.
It is important to know that not everyone will experience all of these symptoms; While some people will feel sharp and unbearable pain, others may experience no pain at all.
You can’t say that a heel spur has one central treatment. There are several main types of treatment, which can be divided into several categories:
Lifestyle changes – Sometimes lifestyle changes can help significantly relieve foot spurs. Such changes include a lot of rest which reduces the pressure on the foot; Choice of customized shoes with silicone insoles; Avoiding sports activities on hard surfaces; and weight loss if excess weight is the cause of stress.
Immediate treatments for pain relief – if the pain is sharp and unbearable, you can choose treatments that do not touch the root of the problem, but can relieve the pain immediately. Different pain relievers will help you deal with the pain and antibiotics can help with the swelling in the leg. You can try placing ice on the painful area for about twenty minutes until relief.
Physiotherapy – Another treatment that can help is physiotherapy. Various exercises can be performed to treat leg spurs that strengthen the leg muscles and stabilize the heel. These exercises can treat inflammation and help reduce pain.
Soft laser – Another treatment for spurs on the foot is soft laser treatment. A soft laser penetrates deep into the tissues and stimulates healing processes and processes in the body that treat both the pain and the root of the problem.
Surgery and injections – Cortisone injections can reduce pain and swelling over time. They are mainly recommended when the painkillers are no longer effective. In more extreme cases, it is possible to resort to invasive surgery to remove the spur.
If you ignore the pain and do not treat the spur properly, the pain may worsen and you may feel pain even with the lightest walk. Also, the pains will appear regularly and without respite throughout the day. Over time, the inflammation may develop into chronic inflammation; In such a situation, a change in the way of walking (and even a limp) may occur, as well as problems with the legs, knees and even the back. It is important to know that these pains will prevent you from performing physical activity – even the lightest – which will lead to additional health complications related to little movement of the body.
Lifestyle changes (including changing shoes, losing weight and resting) can help relieve pain and reduce pressure and irritation on the heel, but they are not necessarily enough. It is important to know that the pain may reappear. The reason is that lifestyle changes do not treat the problem from the root, but only its symptoms.
The adjustment of the treatment is individual and depends on you, the intensity of the pain and the lifestyle you lead. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor or physical therapist, and at the same time try and make minor changes in your lifestyle to see if you notice an improvement in the intensity of the pain. In general, it is recommended not to go immediately to invasive surgery or injections that may bring with them side effects, and not to overload the body with painkillers. You should try other and less invasive treatment methods, such as physical therapy or soft laser treatment.
A treatment for leg spurs that you should know about is B-Cure Laser, an innovative Israeli development. This is a home device that uses a soft laser to easily and comfortably treat pain and inflammation in the body. The laser penetrates the inflamed tissues and encourages biostimulant processes of healing and pain relief. It does this through two procedures: on the one hand, by releasing the endorphin hormone, a hormone that contributes to pain relief. On the other hand, it releases anti-inflammatory enzymes and expands blood flow, procedures that treat the inflammation itself. Thus, the laser treats both the pain and the root of the problem. The device is intended for daily and short home treatment (6-8 minutes a day), is not accompanied by side effects and is recommended by specialist doctors.
The best treatment for leg spurs is rest. Using an ice pack on the heel for 20 minutes several times a day will help relieve the pain. Local massage can also help. It is important to reduce physical activity such as long walks, dancing or running.
