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Heel Pain may be associated with a calcaneal spur, more commonly called a Heel Spur. A heel spur is a sharp bony growth at the front side of the Calcaneus (or heel bone).
The Calcaneus is one of the largest bones in the foot and makes up the rear, or heel, of the foot. A strong band of ligaments (the so-called Plantar Fascia) stretches across the sole of the foot below the surface of the skin and is attached to a point in the middle of the undersurface of the Calcaneus.
Due to a number of factors the Plantar Fascia become overly stretched and persistent traction (tugging) on the attachment point of the Fascia into the heel bone leads to irritation, inflammation and pain at this site. This painful condition is known as "Plantar Fasciitis".
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Sometimes over a long period of time, a sharp 'spur' develops at the site of this traction on the bone and protrudes into the surrounding tissue. This has also been known as 'policeman's heel', although this term is not often used, perhaps because policeman do not 'walk the beat' as much as they used to.
It should be noted that the heel spur itself is actually not causing any pain. It is the inflamed tissue around the spur that causes pain and discomfort. Many people who suffer heel pain, are quick to conclude that they have heel spurs, whereas general heel pain is a lot more common than heel spurs. Only an x-ray of the heel bone will prove whether a person has a true heel spur.
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Heel spurs (as well as general heel pain) are caused by a condition called "Plantar Fasciitis" - Latin for inflammation of "Plantar Fascia". The Plantar Fascia is the flat band of fibrous tissue under the foot, running from the toes to the heel bone.
Due to factors such as pro-longed activity, excessive weight, old age, or poor foot function (over-pronation) painful stretching of the Plantar Fascia occurs, In turns this will lead to irritation and inflammation at the attachment of the Plantar Fascia into the heel bone. Continuous pulling of the fascia band at the heel bone, eventually leads to the development of bony growth on the heel - the Heel Spur.
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You get out of bed first thing in the morning and feel a sharp pain in the centre of the heel. You also feel pain when you stand up after a long period of sitting down. After you've hobbled around for a few minutes the pain seems to reduce to a slight, dull ache or it may even disappear.
There are a variety of treatment options dor Heel Spurs and Heel Pain, including ice, painkillers, a soft heel pad, cortisone injections - even surgery! However, resarch has shown that the most effective way of achieving pain relief is to treat the CAUSE of the problem. I.e. by correcting poor foot function, in particular over-pronation.
Developed by Podiatrists, Footlogics orthotics correct over-pronation and greatly improve poor foot function. By wearing Footlogics in your shoes, the excessive tension on the Plantar Fascia is being released, thus treating the actual cause of "Plantar Fasciitis". In addition, a cushioning shock-absorbing heel pad under the orthotic reduces the impact on the painful heel, providing relief and walking comfort. Footlogics biomechanical arch supports were developed by a team of Australian and European Podiatrists (foot specialists) and Orthotists (designers of orthotic devices). We are proud to state that Footlogics orthotics have helped many thousands of heel pain sufferers across Europe and Australia.
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In addition to wearing orthotics we strongly recommend you do some exercises. A recent Heel Pain study by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) showed that by wearing foot orthotics, combined with a number of simple stretching and strengthening exercises, 95% of patients experienced substantial and lasting relief from their heel pain symptoms! |
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Recommended orthotics for the relief of Heel Spur pain: Footlogics Casual or Comfort |
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