How do I take care of myself if I have heel spurs?

After a heel spur diagnosis in Elmwood Park, one practical question comes up. What does looking after it actually involve?

Looking after a heel spur

Plan on managing symptoms, because the spur itself stays. Cleveland Clinic puts it this way: "Once you have a heel spur, you’ll always have a heel spur. Fortunately, heel spurs generally don’t hurt. But you should plan on managing the symptoms associated with heel spurs."

How to judge a self-care plan

A sound plan is aimed at symptoms, not at making the spur disappear. By the source's own account, the spur is not going anywhere. A plan that promises otherwise does not meet that standard.

For background reading, start with OrthoInfo's page on plantar fasciitis and bone spurs. Cleveland Clinic's overview of plantar fasciitis covers symptoms, causes and treatment options.

What to do before you resume your activity

Read the NHS pages on foot pain and heel pain. Compare what they describe with what you feel, then write your own short checklist for running, work or lifting.

Pain that does not match what those pages describe is worth raising with a clinician before you go back.

What a good result looks like

A heel spur that generally does not hurt is not a problem waiting to be fixed. The standard to hold your recovery to is how well your symptoms are managed, not whether the spur is gone.