Question:
What are Heel spurs ,how do i know if i have the

   — christina B. (posted on July 19, 2003)

July 19, 2003
Oh, you will know that is for sure. For me they hurt real bad if I have been on my feet even for a short amount of time, say 1/2 hr. A heel spur is a boney growth, it can be on the bottom like mine were or directly on the back of the heel. On an xray it appears as a little hook of bone growth. Now that I have lost 40# after my RNY they do not bother me as much. I can be on my feet for much much longer before I am in discomfort.
   — ChristineB

July 19, 2003
there is a heel cushion that you can get for inside your shoes specifically made for heel spurs. it has a hole in the middle of them making it resemble a donut. check out the 'foot aids' aisle in walmart, walgreens etc. they work wonders!
   — sheryl titone

July 19, 2003
I had a bone spur and had surgery for it after wearing the donut for a long time. Then I thought I had another one and went to see a Bone Dr. and it said it was plantar faciotis (sp?). He had me stand on a step with just the front of my feet on the step and my heels hanging off. Drop yur heels down to stretch that muscle and it got better. Go up and down about 10 times and about 4 times a day.
   — Kay T.

July 19, 2003
Christina ~ Heel Spurs are definitely very painful! I suffered with them for months before going to a podiatrist. Mine were most painful while driving (obviously since the heel touches the floor of the vehicle while your feet are on the accelerator or brake) and first thing in the morning! The morning pain was awful as those inflammed muscles would retract at night in the arch of my foot (muscles that connect to the heel) then that first step down from the bed in the morning would pull to try and restretch to normal size. The podiatrist had me wear shoes with good arch support and also complete a series of about 6 weeks of steriod shots into my heels. (Shots were painful but cured me so I'd do it again in a heart beat if they ever return.) If your pain becomes unbearable, please see your doctor or a good podiatrist. When your feet hurt, your whole body is miserable!
   — chelle3081

July 19, 2003
Heel spurs are a calcification of the bone in your heel. As the others said, there are devices to help with the pain but they never go away like an inflammed muscle would. (bone doesn't go away) Mine were so bad they had to be surgically removed and looked just like a little peice of bone.
   — Delores S.