A heel spur is a fairly common ailment associated with the inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, which results in the formation of a spike on the heel bone. The disease causes a lot of inconvenience to the patient and contributes to injury to nearby tissues. A heel spur causes severe pain, which disrupts gait and the victim’s performance is significantly reduced.
Doctors offer a lot of ways to treat pathology; one of the effective conservative methods is orthopedic insoles. The products help cope with the disease and are used not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of recurrence of heel spurs. What types of insoles are there, and how to choose them correctly? You will find the answers to your questions in the following material.
The disease is an inflammatory process in the heel area, leading to the formation of a thorn. In most cases, the disease develops against the background of flat feet, in which the load on the foot is distributed incorrectly, provoking a pathological process.
Experts identify several negative factors that adversely affect the patient’s health: diabetes, excess weight, foot injuries, endocrine disruptions (disturbances lead to fragility of bone and cartilage tissue, the inflammatory process forms much faster than in healthy tissues). The disease is also observed in women who are accustomed to wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.
As the thorn on the heel grows, the pain syndrome increases, the patient’s gait changes for the worse, and it is difficult for the person to move. Many victims describe the sensation as “a nail in the heel.” If you find an unpleasant clinical picture, consult a specialist; do not self-medicate.
The products are therapeutic and prophylactic shoe inserts (low heels only). Insoles play the role of a special corset for the foot while walking, maintaining its natural position. Comfort is given to the products by natural materials: felt, leather, gel, silicone. The insoles follow the anatomical shape of the foot, correspond to body weight, and the degree of development of the disease. The necessary insoles can be purchased at pharmacies; to obtain excellent results, doctors recommend making custom-made products (they are the most comfortable).
The orthopedic insole follows the shape of the foot; in the heel area there is a special instep support that raises the heel by several centimeters. The insert itself is made of soft and elastic material, which reduces the load on the heel and reduces pain during movement. The special design of the product allows you to support the transverse and longitudinal arch of the foot, promoting the healing of heel spurs, improving shock absorption for flat feet.
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Orthopedic insoles are intended for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal tissue, as a preventive measure for the development of ailments of the axial skeleton. When a heel spur appears, in particular against the background of flat feet, you cannot do without such products. According to reviews from patients and doctors, orthopedic insoles have many advantages:
An orthopedist or surgeon will help you choose the required product model, and also listen to the advice of the pharmacist at the pharmacy. Take into account how you feel while wearing the insole; if discomfort occurs, visit a doctor, the doctor will select the necessary replacement for the product.
There are practically no disadvantages to the insoles, except for the rather high price (depending on the material, a pair of inserts costs about 600–2400 rubles). They also need to be changed frequently: insoles tend to wear out. Silicone products are considered the most durable; they will last a long time if they are properly cared for.
Depending on the degree of development of the heel spur, the patient is prescribed various types of orthopedic insoles. Each type has its own pros and cons and affects certain problems.
They are a type of insoles that support the foot and are very often used to treat heel spurs. They are a product that is adjusted only to the heel. It is made from various materials: genuine leather, balsa wood, special silicone. Depending on the target orientation, several types are distinguished:
Often, heel spurs are the result of salt deposits where the tendons connect to the bone. The pathological process is most active when a person is resting or sleeping. During the night, fascia fusion with shortening is observed; during morning movements, microdamages appear, causing acute pain to the patient.
To relieve unpleasant symptoms, you need to fix your leg in the correct position at night. An ordinary insole cannot cope with such a task, but a night orthosis (base) certainly does. The products pull the toes closer to the foot and provide support. Morning pain when wearing beads disappears almost after a few nights.
It is a cheap analogue to bases. Its use prevents fascia from contracting at night. This effect is achieved through slight constant tension on the toes. The product is a huge sock; the toes are secured with a special Velcro that stretches from the knee to the toes. The approximate duration of treatment with this device is about 2.5 months.
The insoles are very easy to use: remove the protective film, then fix it in your shoes. A special adhesive layer on one side will allow you to securely secure the liner in the shoe, which will prevent the product from slipping. Every evening check the condition of the insole and care for it properly. By following useful recommendations, the devices will last a long time and will help get rid of heel spurs.
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While walking, your feet sweat, the insoles become soaked with sweat, and begin to smell unpleasant. Over time, bacteria accumulate on products, which leads to foot fungus. Fabric-based insoles have these properties. Silicone and gel products, on the contrary, do not absorb unpleasant odors; with proper care, they eliminate them.
Regular hygiene procedures will help you avoid trouble. Wash products daily under running water and soap. Avoid aggressive detergents (they can destroy the structure of the product). It is not recommended to wipe the inserts to treat heel spurs; they should dry naturally.
Orthotics are shock-absorbing insoles designed to hold the foot in the correct position. Before purchasing, keep in mind that you will wear the insoles every day. They should fit you perfectly. Insoles are made of felt, silicone, artificial and natural leather, and gel.
Choose the option that makes you feel the most comfortable when wearing it. Consider the size, anatomical structure of the foot, body weight and the degree of development of the disease. The most excellent results are shown by insoles made according to individual sketches. You can also purchase universal inserts in special stores, pharmacies, and special websites. A correctly selected product can reduce the pressure of a bone growth on soft tissues, reduce discomfort, improve shock absorption of the foot, and speed up recovery.
When purchasing, pay attention to the following aspects:
Orthopedic inserts for eliminating heel spurs show excellent results; they cope not only with heel spurs, but also help with solving other pathologies. It is important to choose and wear the product correctly; care of the inserts plays an important role.
Most of the positive reviews are about silicone earbuds. They do not absorb odors, are easy to care for, they are soft and make the patient’s life much easier. The disadvantage of the product is its high cost (about 1500–2000 rubles), but the positive and quick results are worth the money.
Video - review of orthopedic insoles for heel spurs:
Proponents of traditional medicine suggest using potatoes to treat heel spurs (plantar fasciitis). It is believed that this vegetable will perfectly relieve inflammation and relieve pain. However, you should understand that it will not be possible to quickly recover using an unconventional method. It may take several months to completely remove the thorn from the plantar side. Therefore, you need to be patient, and then not a trace of the illness will remain.
Potatoes are used to eliminate heel spurs for a reason. Its composition is a complex of substances necessary for the human body. The predominant ingredients in potatoes are starches, amino acids, vitamins C, B, PP and H, as well as folic acid and all useful minerals:
Thanks to these components, potatoes have the following medicinal effects, which are important for heel spurs:
Treating heel spurs with potatoes can be done in various ways. These traditional methods are effective and safe for health. All recipes are easy to follow and do not require much time. But alternative therapy does not always give quick and expected results. If there is no improvement for a long time and the spur continues to bother you, you should consult a qualified doctor.
Representatives of alternative medicine suggest using salted potatoes to combat the growth of the heel bone. To do this, you need to take a potato, wash it, cut off a thick piece and salt it thoroughly with sea salt. The salted cut is applied to the heel spur and firmly fixed with a bandage so that it is motionless. Next, you need to put on a warm sock and leave the compress overnight. The duration of this treatment is 5 days, but the pain will decrease after 72 hours.
Although green potatoes cannot be eaten, they can be used for other purposes. Traditional healers suggest treating heel spurs with this tuber. It is recommended to prepare it for use as follows:
You need to be treated with the drug as follows (10 procedures will be needed):
Good results in the treatment of heel spurs are shown by pre-cooked potatoes in their skins. The finished tubers need to be cooled and placed in a large bowl. Treatment consists of walking on potatoes for 6-10 minutes. After this, you need to wash your feet with water, wipe them dry and make an iodine net. Relief will be felt after 2-3 sessions.
Raw potatoes, which need to be peeled and passed through a blender, work well for plantar fasciitis. Squeeze out the excess liquid and apply the remaining pulp to the heel. Apply polyethylene on top, wrap it with a bandage and cover with a warm piece of fabric. It is recommended to apply the compress overnight so that you can remove it and wash your feet with warm water in the morning.
A heel spur causes the patient a lot of discomfort and pain, so it is better to prevent the development of this disease.
To do this, you should adhere to the following medical recommendations:
It is believed that walking barefoot on the bumpy surface will improve blood circulation, increase muscle tone, and thus will not give the awl-shaped growths any chance to appear on the surface of the heel bone. In addition, foot massage has a positive effect on the condition of the body as a whole.
Diet for heel spurs is the main method of treating the disease. As doctors note, the human skeletal system exists favorably in an alkaline environment, while the inflammatory process increases the level of acidity in the body.
For this reason, first of all, therapy consists of normalizing the acid-base balance and removing excess salts from the body.
The easiest way to get rid of the disease is considered to be a therapeutic diet, which limits the consumption of meat, fish, cereals and low-fat milk. To neutralize acidity, it is recommended to eat fresh vegetables, fruits and fatty dairy products, which generate free alkaline radicals.
In case of metabolic disorders, a strict therapeutic diet allows you to remove accumulated salts and reduce the inflammatory process. Fasting and generally severely restricting food intake are prohibited, as this can lead to another exacerbation of the disease.
It is recommended to eat at least 2500 kilocalories per day. Throughout the day, meals should be fractional, at least five times a day.
Every day you need to drink up to three liters of liquid throughout the day. To drink, you can use water, mineral water, rosehip infusion, green tea with added milk. Vegetables and fruits, especially watermelon and cucumbers, can also serve as a source of liquid.
Nettle infusion, tea with the addition of chicory or coriander can remove uric acid from the body. This drink serves as a prophylactic against the accumulation of salt in joints and cartilage.
The diet should regularly include soup from vegetables and cereals, porridge, eggs, and nuts. Since dairy products effectively remove purine accumulations from the body, they can be consumed in fairly large quantities.
Fresh fermented milk and whey are especially useful.
A diet using watermelons most effectively removes harmful salts from the body. Watermelon is a fairly high-calorie product, so a person does not feel hungry during dietary treatment. The water contained in watermelons makes the blood pH alkaline.
Thus, by eating slices of watermelon with bread every day, the patient loses at least five to eight kilograms over the course of a month. As you know, it is obesity that causes the appearance of heel spurs, as there is an increased load on the feet.
The watermelon diet has the following benefits:
To calculate the daily dose of watermelons eaten, you need to use a simple formula: for every 10 kilograms of a person’s weight, take 1 kilogram of food.
Thus, if your weight is 70 kilograms, you need to eat at least 7 kilograms of watermelon per day. The results of the diet will be noticeable within four days. Patients will experience reduced swelling of the feet and reduced pain.
For those who cannot eat watermelons without additional products, another variation of the therapeutic diet has been developed. Eating watermelons should be done every other day, and on the other days you should eat porridge, fruits, vegetables, salad, and black bread.
When on a watermelon diet, it is important to regularly drink clean drinking water. The duration of treatment is usually no more than five days, after which a week-long break is taken. If necessary, the diet is repeated.
Please note that the watermelon diet is contraindicated for:
The cucumber diet is used in the treatment of heel spurs to reduce weight and improve the alkaline balance in the blood. For the purpose of prevention, even healthy people, doctors recommend drinking half a glass of cucumber pickle a day. During the diet, the patient will have to eat at least two kilograms of cucumbers per day.
Fresh ground cucumbers are used for treatment. They are cut into pieces and the pulp is removed. Next, the cucumbers are chopped and seasoned with salt. Vegetable oil or pepper. This dish is served instead of salad.
At the same time, you can eat canned cucumbers. Main dishes are also washed down with cucumber pickle.
The cucumber diet may be contraindicated if:
As a variation on the cucumber diet, you can alternate cucumber salads with kefir. At lunchtime, cucumbers can be replaced with low-fat lactic acid products.
You can also prepare a dietary soup by adding green onions, basil, and dill to the cucumbers and pouring the resulting mixture with kefir. During the afternoon snack, cucumbers must be on the menu.
Natural juices are known for their ability to relieve swelling in the legs and relieve inflammation of joints and bones. They improve immunity, due to which the body begins to effectively fight viruses and bacteria, and can also withstand prolonged stress.
Juices replenish the lack of organic acids, treat diseases of the joints, heart and intestines. Nutritionists recommend including juices from grapes, apples, cranberries and cabbage in your daily diet.
Heel spurs often develop when uric acid metabolism is disrupted, which causes gout. This disease promotes the deposition of uric acid salts on the joints and heel tubercle.
To alleviate the disease, in addition to medications, doctors prescribe regularly drinking natural juices from vegetables. To prepare them, fresh vegetables need to be squeezed using a juicer or meat grinder. It is important to remember that salt cannot be added to vegetable juices.
It is important to take into account that the peels of many fruits and vegetables contain increased amounts of microelements. Freshly prepared juice is drunk immediately, since after twenty minutes all the beneficial qualities and vitamins lose their potency.
The exception is beet juice, which can be stored in the refrigerator for about two hours.
To achieve maximum effect, juices should be drunk 30 minutes before meals.
The daily dose of protein should be no more than 80 grams. During the treatment of heel spurs, it is necessary to avoid meat, legumes, mushrooms, canned food, alcohol, strong tea, coffee and other foods that contain a large amount of purines. You should not eat smoked, salty or spicy foods.
You can also try treating heel spurs with iodine as an additional treatment to diet and physical therapy.
Fats can be consumed per day in quantities of no more than 90 grams. Based on 1 kilogram of a person’s weight per day, up to 1 gram of fat is allowed. Caviar, fatty fish and meat, and mussels should be excluded from the daily diet.
During the day, the amount of carbohydrates consumed should not exceed 450 grams. It is important to avoid frequent consumption of fast carbohydrates, which include confectionery, honey, jam, chocolate and other sweets. Instead, it is recommended to eat rye and wheat bread, cereals and flour.