If you are constantly heel painas if you were walking on a tack, then you may be suffering from heel spur. This plantar pathology mainly affects people who walk or run intensively. It is therefore advisable to wear orthopedic insoles to relieve your pain. Here you'll find everything you need to know about the causes, symptoms and treatment of this condition.
What are the causes and symptoms of heel spur?
When you're on your feet for too long, or do a lot of sport, the tendons in your foot tend to get overworked. This leads to heel inflammation. Your body will then build up calcium to adapt to the new conditions. poor posture. This is where heel spurs are created. But these are not the only causes. Hollow and flat feet can contribute to the development of this pathology, as can unsuitable footwear and excess weight. So it may be that symptoms begin to appear. They are as follows:
- Intense heel pain when playing sports.
- Pain on waking up and taking your first steps.
- More generally, pain from the foot to the lower leg.
- Sensation of heat in the heel
However, it's only rarely that this bone spur is responsible for the pain. In fact, most of the time, it's theinflammation of the aponeurosis which causes this stabbing pain.
What treatments are available to relieve heel spur?
It's essential to spare the heel as much as possible. The main aim is to reduce inflammation of the fascia. To achieve this, contact with hard surfaces, the cause of pain, must be avoided. That's why we recommend using a pair of orthopedic insoles, to be inserted in suitable shoes. In fact, the latter will have a cushioning effectto reduce heel pain as much as possible. We recommend that you choose specialized heel spur insoles, preferably made of gel, for better shock absorption.
Even if this solution is effective, it must be accompanied by various gestures to provide the foot with the best possible support. relief relief.
massages and gentle stretching of the heel, in particular with a ball under the foot. In addition to these exercises, you are free to have shockwave and ultrasound sessions with a physiotherapist. If the pain still persists slightly, don't hesitate to In addition to stopping physical activity involving the heel, it is important to prescribe anti-inflammatories non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. These methods should only be used to complement the action of orthopedic inserts, not to replace them.
This varies from case to case, but it normally only takes a year of steady progress to achieve complete pain eradication. However, the treatment must be continued to ensure that the pain does not return.
What's the difference between a heel cup and a heel spur insole?
The heel cup and the sole, although they have the same role, are very different. different.
In appearance, the heel cup, as its name suggests, covers only the underside of the heel. Orthotics, on the other hand, cover the entire sole of the foot.
A heel padoften less expensive, will also be less effective than an orthopedic insole. Although they provide good cushioning, they also cause a certain instability unlike insoles. If you wish to continue your activity in spite of the heel spur, then heel lifts are not recommended, as they can cause sprains.
How to choose the right insoles for your heel spur?
Choosing a pair of orthopedic insoles to treat heel spur is no simple matter. You need to take into account size, material, function and so on.
There are three materials foam, gel and cork. The material with the best cushioning properties is gel, which is why it is mainly used to relieve heel spurs.
SmartFeet, France's leading orthopedic insoles retailer, offers specialized insoles for the treatment of heel spurs. With SmartFeet, you don't have to choose the material or function - we'll take care of that for you.
It's still important to choose the right right size of insoles. Orthopedic insoles for this condition have a rather thick layer in the heel area. So don't forget to choose a pair of shoes with a half or extra size.
