If you suffer from heel spurs you know the intensity of heel pain that can come with it, but you may not know quite what is going on in your foot. The pain you feel is the result of a spiky accumulation of calcium on the heel bone. Obviously, our bones are substantially made of calcium in any case, but in the case of a heel spur this is an improperly grown bone formation. The plantar fascia, a band of connective tissue running between your heel and toes, detaches from the heel a bit and the calcification grows as a result of that detachment, giving you your heel bone spur.
Heel spur symptoms can be negligible. You may not notice them at all and may not know they are there without an x-ray of the foot. Usually, the heel spur is a minor issue in itself, a little calcium deposit on the bone, but the pain it is often accompanied by - plantar fasciitis - is no small thing. The pain of a heel spur can be tremendous and accompany every step you take. The calcium growth of the heel spur itself is often caused by the inflammation of plantar fasciitis, and the two conditions can then negatively reinforce each other until you are suffering from a chronic pain condition in one or both feet.
At present, the most popular remedies for heel spurs among ECers is supplemental calcium and an ankle wrap using apple cider vinegar. Additionally, stretching the affected foot; using arch supports or other orthotics to reduce impact and overpronation; rest and ice; anti-inflammatory foods, supplements, and drugs; and the herbal remedies ginger and turmeric can all help relieve heel spurs pain.
Read More
