Home remedies for heel spur

The heel spur is usually a consequence of plantar fasciitis . When the fascia of our foot, a tissue that goes from our heel to the toes, becomes inflamed as a result of the constant impact, we will experience a painful injury that manifests itself especially when walking barefoot, when we have been lying or sitting for a long time or when doing sports of impact.

If plantar fasciitis is prolonged or chronic, the body will begin its own healing process, generating calcium deposits in the calcaneal bone to compensate for this condition. However, these deposits are painful and annoying, causing what we know as a spur.

This condition is more common in:

• People who frequently perform impact activities such as running.
• Those who are overweight.
• People who walk a lot or spend a lot of time on their feet each day.
• Those who have flat feet.
• People who wear inappropriate footwear with very thin soles and poor cushioning or high heels.
• Those who have flat feet.

The plantar fasciitis accompanied by the heel spur is very painful by impeding impact physical activity and travel long distances even walking at a moderate pace. For all these reasons, it is essential to visit a podiatrist to receive the indicated medical treatment based on anti-inflammatory drugs, which together with homemade measures and performing certain exercises will help you overcome this injury, which takes about 6 months or more to heal in give yourself.

It is very possible that your doctor will tell you to use special insoles to cushion the heel area and reduce discomfort, they are usually found in pharmacies and their use is highly recommended.

When this injury occurs, any type of impact activity such as running, jumping, playing tennis, soccer, etc. should be completely avoided. During the first days rest is recommended to help the inflammation of the fascia reduce and the healing process of our feet begins.

If you do not want to remain sedentary then it is recommended to carry out activities that do not cause an impact on the area such as cycling or rowing.

One of the best home remedies for heel spurs is cold , which will help to significantly reduce the inflammation in the area and with it the discomfort that originates. You can choose two good alternatives:

• Apply an ice pack: do it 2 times a day, especially after doing any physical activity or walking too much. It is important not to apply the compress or ice directly to the skin, wrap it in a cloth and place it on the painful area for 15 minutes.
• Roll a bottle with frozen water : fill a bottle with water and take it to the freezer, once the water is ice-cold, take it out and, on a surface protected with a cloth or carpet, roll the bottle on the floor with the affected foot doing special emphasis on the heel area. This, in addition to relieving inflammation due to the cold, will help to massage the area, which is very useful to reduce the swelling of this area. Do it also for 15 minutes and repeat 2 times a day.

As we explained in the previous step, massages are key to reducing pain and inflammation caused by a calcaneal spur, so it is convenient to perform them daily. Using your thumb and in principle without any cream, massage the affected area by exerting light pressure on it, do so by sliding your thumb across the area horizontally. You can also use the knuckles of your fingers to relax the area and reduce its tension, in principle it is normal that you feel pain but as you continue with the massage it will decrease.

Then, apply a special local anti-inflammatory cream for muscle and joint injuries, it will act directly on the affected area helping you to generate great relief. Continue with the massage for a few more minutes once you have applied the product.

Stretching the tissue in which the fascia is located is essential to relieve tension on it, soften it, and thus reduce inflammation and injury. These stretches should be done daily at least once a day.

Some good options are:

Stretch your toes

Grab the affected foot, stretch the sole very well and then with your hand take the toes of the foot and pull them towards you, which will help to decrease the tension of the fascia. Hold for 10 seconds, release and relax for 5 seconds, and repeat again. You can do up to 10 repetitions.

Stretch the sole of the foot

Place the leg of the good foot forward, leaning on it, and bring the leg of the spur foot back. Stretch your leg back very well, lifting your foot slightly and resting it on the instep, you should feel both the heel and the calf stretch. You can lean on a table, on a piece of furniture or even on your front leg, this in case you are fit.

Stretch the fascia

It is also possible to stretch the affected area by putting the foot with the spur on tiptoe, do it little by little and trying not to load the instep, but making sure that the area you want to work is stretching. Hold the pose for 5 seconds, relax your foot for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 times.

As you progress in performing these exercises, you will be able to hold the recommended postures for a longer time, which is ideal for promoting stretching in this areExercise for heel spur

In addition to rolling a bottle with cold water and performing the aforementioned stretches, there are a couple of exercises that will notably help you improve this condition, being one of the best home remedies for heel spurs .

That is why we recommend:

Move a ball with your foot

It can be a tennis ball, rubber or special ones for the treatment of this condition that a physical therapist can give you. With the injured foot, you should move the ball from front to back, to the sides and also in a circular way, always generating some pressure on the sole of the foot to loosen this area, work it and help strengthen the tissues.

Pick up a cloth with your fingers

This exercise for the heel spur is very simple, place a cloth or small towel on the ground well stretched and then, with the toes of the affected foot, try to lift it off the ground. Hold the pose for 5 seconds, let it fall and repeat at least 10 times.

Although cold is ideal to reduce inflammation and reduce pain when we have just performed some physical activity, in this type of injury it is also recommended to alternate cold with heat . This is because the cold deflates but also contracts, while the heat expands, both temperatures combined help the fascia to loosen and gradually recover its flexibility.

It is recommended to apply cold for 5 minutes and then place the foot in a container with hot water but at a temperature that can be tolerated without causing damage. Repeat at least a couple of times alternating both temperatures.

The heel spur will pass as the plantar fasciitis reduces and the inflammation decreases. However, you must have something very clear: these types of injuries take many months to disappear , so it is very important to be constant and apply these home remedies for heel spurs every day, frequently and following all the recommendations.

In more severe cases, the podiatrist may suggest surgical intervention to remove the spur.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Home remedies for heel spurs , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .