If you’re a healthy person who is older than 50, you might be wondering what’s causing the pain in your heels. Unfortunately, many people who wind up with painful osteophytes, or bone spurs, discover that they have been living with osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis.It occurs when cartilage begins to break down in the joints. As cartilage wears away, there is less cushioning between the bones that come together at the joint. As a result, bone spurs develop as the body’s way of trying to repair the lost cartilage. These bone spurs can exert pressure on the joint and cause pain.

Here are a few ways to relieve heel spur pain:

  • Prosthetics. Your podiatrist can add padding or a special heel insert to your shoes to stop the spur from pressing into your foot as you walk. 
  • Anti-inflammatories. Over-the-counter medications will relieve the pain as the spur heals. In some cases, your podiatrist may opt to relieve the pressure on the tissues around your heel with a corticosteroid injection.
  • Joint exercises. More women than men have osteoarthritis and are thus more likely to develop hip and ankle problems as a result. Consult with your doctor to learn about proper exercises that can ease pain and slow degeneration of the joints.

If you’re looking fo treatment for heel pain in Philadelphia, the team at Healthmark Foot & Ankle Associates is ready to help you. With two convenient locations, we make it easy to get the care you need. To set up your first consultation, call us today at our Media office at 610-565-3668 or in Phoenixville at 610-933-8644. 

Looking for more information on foot ailments? Click the link on this page and we’ll send you a FREE copy of our book The Foot Is Not an Island: Recognizing Vitamin D Deficiency & How to Correct It. 

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