How To Get Rid Of Heel Spurs (Without Surgery)

If you’ve noticed a sharp pain in your heel when walking or when you first wake up in the morning, you may be dealing with a heel spur. 

You may be wondering what is a heel spur and what causes it, are heel spurs hereditary, and how to get rid of one. Find out the answers to these questions and how a new nonsurgical treatment option can help you get back on your feet again.

What Causes a Heel Spur?

Affecting roughly 15% of people, this pesky foot condition occurs when a calcium deposit builds up underneath the heel bone and forms a bony-like growth. Some common heel spur causes are:

• Long-term strains on foot muscles and ligaments.
• Foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis.
• Consecutive tearing of the heel bone membrane.

Over time, your body responds to this stress by building extra bone tissue. This extra tissue can eventually develop into a heel spur, resulting in the pain you may be feeling in the affected foot.

Are Heel Spurs Hereditary?

Heel spurs are generally not hereditary on their own. However, there are other heel spur causes that are hereditary and can increase your chances of developing them. 

One inherited condition that can lead to an increased risk is flat feet. People who have flat feet receive extra strain compared to arched feet and are at a greater risk of developing both plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.

While the risk of heel spurs for those with flat feet won’t go away on its own, there are many treatment options available.

How To Get Rid of Heel Spurs With Treatment

Do heel spurs go away on their own? Unfortunately, no. They require treatment or removal procedures to heal. Here are a few heel spur treatment options:

• Using ice packs on the affected foot after walking and exercise.
• Stretching exercises (e.g., foot flex and calf stretch exercises).
• Using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine.
• Receiving anti-inflammatory injections.
• Undergoing physical therapy.
• Installing orthotic shoe inserts into your shoes.

Heel Spur Removal

If the above treatment techniques don’t seem to be taking care of your heel spur and you’re concerned about needing surgery, don’t worry! Generally, when a severe injury or pain in the heel occurs, it’s best to seek expert treatment from licensed foot care doctors, but that doesn’t mean surgery is necessary.

Shockwave Therapy Technology

In the past, surgery was recognized as the only method for heel spur removal. As if the heel spur itself wasn’t enough to deal with, right? But today, surgery isn’t the only option for taking care of heel spurs, which is good news for those who can’t afford to be hampered for multiple days— even weeks— with recovery from surgery.

Shockwave therapy is a new, nonsurgical technique performed with cutting-edge technology. 

Zimmer Shockwave Treatment: What Is It and How Does It Work? 

Zimmer Shockwave Treatment is a nonsurgical, noninvasive procedure to treat heel spurs. This treatment option is:

• FDA cleared.
• Gentle, non-invasive, and non-surgical. 
• An alternative to steroid shots and surgery.

Zimmer Shockwave Treatment works by emitting controlled shockwaves to target and dissolve calcium deposits. This treatment has been proven to be effective in treating heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and many other soft-tissue injuries with an 85% success rate.

With Zimmer Shockwave Treatment, there are minimal risks, complications, or recovery time from surgery. 

Heel Spur Removal Made Easy With Zimmer Shockwave Treatment

If you are suffering from heel pain, our team at Foot & Ankle is here to help. As the leading professionals for the health of foot and ankle care in Southwest Florida, we pride ourselves on providing Zimmer Shockwave Therapy as well as an array of innovative treatment options for heel pain. 

If you’re ready to get rid of your heel pain safely and effectively, contact us today. We’ll get you back on your feet in no time!