If you’ve ever had heel spurs, you know that they can be painful. Even when they don’t cause a great deal of discomfort, they can still make it difficult to walk or run without some difficulty. Since heel spurs are often caused by poor shoe design, this leaves many people wondering what kind of shoes work best to avoid or treat heel spurs. While a new pair of shoes won’t cure your heel spurs, they can make it easier to handle day-to-day activities without significant pain or discomfort.
So, what causes heel spurs? What are the treatment options? Do heel spurs require surgery? Most importantly, what are the best shoes for heel spurs? We will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s look at heel spurs and their underlying causes:
What Are Heel Spurs?
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that can grow on one or both feet, specifically on the heel. While some cases of heel spurs are painless, some can cause discomfort, especially if the protrusion is large enough to be visible on an x-ray.
In many cases, heel spurs are caused by strain or stretching of the foot muscles. Over time, this can cause tearing of the protective membrane covering the heel bone. When this happens, calcium builds up, causing a protrusion to form on the heel.
Though the precise causes can vary, poorly designed shoes are often at least partially to blame. For example, if you have a high arch and do not wear shoes with enough arch support, this could lead to the formation of heel spurs. Alternatively, if you do a lot of exercises that put an unnatural strain on the tendons in your foot, this could also lead to spurs appearing over a period of several weeks or months –– even if you wear very comfortable shoes.
What Are The Treatment Options For Heel Spurs?
In certain cases, heel spurs can be treated through exercise, pain medication, shoe inserts, or orthopedic shoes. The last option is the most common way to bring you support and lessen the effects of heel spurs –– at least in the short-term. If the pain is severe and the previously mentioned options are not effective, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the calcium buildup.
What Are the Best Shoes For Heel Spurs?
As previously mentioned, orthopedic shoes are one of the best ways to prevent and treat heel spurs. Orthopedic shoes are designed for the specific shape of your feet to provide maximum support. If you prefer to wear other kinds of shoes, the best option is to find a supportive pair of tennis shoes with ample arch support. This will prevent your ligaments and muscles from feeling strained. However, you may need to include special inserts to provide additional support around the heel.
While traditional tennis shoes (with inserts) can work, orthopedic shoes are still the best shoes for heel spurs.
Contact Us
Choosing to have heel spur surgery might seem like a drastic step, but it could end up improving your quality of life dramatically. At Northwest Surgery Center, our team has the skills and the experience to help you address any foot-health problems that may be troubling you. Contact us here to learn more or to schedule an appointment today!