Has anyone had or currently have a heel spur?

I am a fitness walker and recently developed a very painful heel spur. I have tried many types of foot braces and Ben Gay type creams but it is not getting better, called my Dr. and she said to rest it for 2 weeks, which I can't do, since I am walking for weight loss(20lbs) and getting in shape for an upcoming vacation which will require alot of walking. I have been a "walker" for over 2 years now and I don't know why this came up, i did no injury to it. Any help would be appreciated. Maybe there is a cortisone or steroid shot that can be injected directly to alleviate the symptoms??

Yes, my wife HAD them. She is a waitress and on her feet running all the time. The Doctor said the only way to get rid of them was an operation.

However, we did it by using a heel cushion with a nickel sized hole in the middle in combination with a good anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen. You may can find the cushions at Walmart or some drug store.

After about a month of this...they were gone.

My mom was a nurse for 30-plus years and had heel spurs. She swore by the cortisone shots (directly into the heel) but it's strictly a temporary fix - you probably need an operation.

Yeah I deleoped bone spurs on my heels as a kid because people were forcing me to walk very long distances a few times but I hardly feel them now.

Does the pain occur more frequently in the morning when you first step on the foot? Does the pain seem to affect only one foot? If the answer to these questions is yes, you may not have a "spur". You may have an issue with extending your feet/toes while you sleep. The issue is more muscular or with tendons.

While somewhat uncomfortable, the best solution is to sleep with an immobilizer called a Night Splint. It prevents you from extending your foot while you sleep. It's a padded boot that has a rigid strap that is placed over over instep at the the front/top of your ankle. I've used mine a few times and it works very well after only three or four nights of use. Here's where I got mine.

http://www.alimed.com - do keyword search on night splint

The company that sells them is called Alimed.

Feel better!

No, but Ive heard they are painful

Yes I have them now. They really are painful, and I have rested mine for over 2 weeks now and they still hurt, excersises has helped the ball and arch of my foot but my heels are still very tender.

My mother-in-law had a heel spur and she went to the dr. and they gave her a couple of shots in her foot and it is supose to desolve the spur and she hasn't had any more trouble out of her heel so check whith your dr and ask about it.

Yes I have heard it's painful. What you may need to consider beyond a quick fix solution is alternate exercises. You are overusing the same muscle groups and areas which is why you are developing problems.

Try spin, boxing, circuit and weights which will greatly assist with weight loss. If you always stick to one type of exercise you will have such issues and injuries. Also, you need to work the entire body and add more variety so different muscles are getting fired up.

There are 2 little exercises that my dr. showed me & that took care of it for me. But its really hard for me to describe them. Basically, stand @ the edge of a step with ur toes barely on the edge, drop ur heels off the edge hold a few seconds. pull up as if trying to stand on tippytoes, hold for a few seconds & do it all over again. I did sets of 10 several times a day. It is supposed to stretch the achilles tendon. It worked wonders for me. I don't know how to descirbe the other for you. Good luck.

I know your going to think "THIS IS NUT'S", but trust me.It's true!! Heel spurs feed on air!! Put a patch of "DUCK TAPE" over the spure!! Change it every day. It will smother it.This is the advice my trainer gave me last year. The spure has yet to return. Remember,only over the entire spure. Not the entire foot.

Try Freezone spray then cover with Moul Skin,you can get these things from a Drug store you need to ask for these paticular items also you don't need precriptions