Heel spur

Cause and symptoms

A heel spur is a bone growth - called a spur. This growth sits on the heel bone and can develop due to overloading of the hamstrings, which runs under the foot from the heel to your toes. An overload of the hamstring can cause a state of irritation and if this is pressed by the heel spur, e.g. when walking and running, pain will occur.

One cause of a heel spur can be overload in connection with increased physical activity, incorrect positioning of the foot, e.g. flat feet, overweight or wearing footwear without sufficient shock absorption and support.

The symptoms will typically be pain with the first steps when you get up in the morning, but often the pain will subside when you start to move and the foot warms up.

It can take up to two years for you to feel the familiar discomfort from the heel spur. However, it is often with varying intensity.

What can you do yourself

If you experience symptoms of a heel spur, relieve your heel as much as possible.

There are special jelly heel cups which are placed in your regular closed shoes and which are shock absorbing on the heel.

You should reduce or completely stop doing the activities that aggravate the pain. However, this does not mean that you have to stop being physically active, but can try to relieve the foot as much as possible, e.g. by taking the bicycle instead of walking. You can train other parts of your body and adapt your activities so that you avoid inactivity.

When the pain has subsided significantly and you want to return to your activities again, it is important that you gradually increase the intensity and duration to avoid a new overload.

Exercise

It is important that you stay active and start exercising. Exercise is effective in reducing pain and discomfort, as well as preventing new discomfort in the body.

Strength training of the calf muscles and stretching of the foot muscles is effective in treating pain and discomfort associated with a heel spur.

Below you will find a number of exercises as inspiration for this. You can do all the exercises every day and on both legs.

It is the well-known heel pain that determines when you can stop doing the exercises. A sign of this could be if you, for example, notice that it hurts significantly less in the morning. However, it is a good idea to continue doing the exercises as a preventive measure.

Heel lift

Repetitions: 3x12 repetitions

How to do it: Stand on one leg with your toes and forefoot on a step. The heels must be clear of the step. Place a rolled-up cloth on the step under your toes so that they are lifted upwards. Slowly lift the heel up so that you come up and stand on your toes. Hold the position for a few seconds and slowly lower the heel back to the starting position.

Stretching the Achilles and tendons

Repetitions: 1x30 sec.

How to do it: Take off your shoes. Kneel with the bottom of your toes on the floor. Lean your upper body back and gradually transfer more and more of your weight to your heels. When you feel a stretch in the soles of your feet, stop the movement and hold the position.

Stretching of the connective tissue of the sole of the foot

Repetitions: 1x30 sec.

How to do it: Sit on a chair with both feet on the floor. Now place one foot over the opposite leg and let the knee fall out to the side. Grasp the big toe with one hand while keeping the other hand on the heel. Use your hand to apply pressure to the underside of the big toe so that it is bent upwards. Feel a stretch in the tendon under the foot and hold the stretch.