The heel hurts when standing after sitting for a long time, this may be the cause

Not a few people complain that their heels are sore after getting up from sitting for a long time or lying down. Heel pain after the foot has rested for a long time is a characteristic feature of heel spurs. What are heel spurs? How to treat it? Find out the answer in the following review.

Heel spurs, the cause of heel pain when standing up

Heel spurs are long, pointed or bent bony protrusions on the underside of the heel that are formed from deposits of calcium. Apart from being known as heel spurs, this condition is also known as calcaneal, osteophyte, or spursHell Spurs.

These bony prominences are generally about 1.5 cm in size and can only be seen on an X-ray. If this condition cannot be proven with the help of X-rays, the doctor will refer the condition to heel spurs syndrome.

Symptoms that arise due to heel spurs

Reporting from WebMD, heel spurs can cause a very painful heel when just standing up after sitting for a long time, especially in the morning. The pain will be dull during the day.

However, heel spurs don't always immediately cause heel pain. Some people feel nothing at first, but the pain starts to come on slowly over time as the bones change.

Symptoms of a heel spur that may appear include:

Sharp pain like a knife stabbing heel
Dull pain in the heel
Inflammation and swelling of the front of the heel
There is a feeling of heat that spreads from around the heel
There is a small bony prominence under the heel

Causes of heel spurs

Heel spurs are caused by hardened calcium deposits under the heel. Over time, these deposits form new bony protrusions. In addition, heel spurs can also occur due to pressure on the leg muscles and ligaments, repeated tearing injuries to the membrane covering the heel bone, and also stretching of the plantar fascia.

Who is at risk for this?

Heel spurs are more at risk of:

Athletes whose activities often run or jump
People who have high arches of their feet
As you age, the flexibility of the plantar fascia decreases and the membrane covering the heel bone becomes thinner
Using ill-fitting shoes
Have excess body weight
Having a gait disorder that causes pressure on the heel bone, ligaments, or the nerves around it

In addition, several medical conditions can also cause heel spurs, such as:

Reiter's syndrome or reactive arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Idiopathic diffuse skeletal hypostosis
Plantar fasciitis

Treatment and care as well as precautions for heel spurs

There are many treatments that are performed to relieve heel spurs, such as home care, taking medication, and the process of surgery. Some of the treatments that can be done at home include:

Rest to reduce pressure and swelling in your feet
Apply ice to reduce pain and swelling
Using shoe inserts (custom-made orthotics) which is placed under the heel
Using soft shoes to reduce pressure and pain that arises

People who have heel spurs and plantar fasciitis may not get better with just rest. This is because the pain is recurrent and will get worse after you wake up from sleep and when you stand or walk. The pain gets less and less as you keep walking, but will return after you rest.

If you experience heel pain due to heel spurs that persist for more than one month, you should consult your doctor. Usually doctors will propose routine non-surgical treatments for 9 to 12 months, such as:

Stretching exercises
Doing taping (straight legs) to rest the compressed muscles and tendons
Attending physical therapy
Splinting the leg at night

There are several medications that can relieve the symptoms of heel spurs, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, which are easily purchased at pharmacies. In some cases, the doctor will recommend injecting a corticosteroid to relieve inflammation in the heel area.

More than 90% of people with heel spurs recover with non-surgical treatment. However, if that doesn't work, surgery, such as removing the plantar fascia and removing excess bone, will be performed. After surgery you may need to rest, use a bandage, splint, cast, or temporary crutches.

How to prevent it?

To prevent heel pain due to heel spurs from occurring, then start paying attention to what you are doing, especially on your feet. Use shoes that fit your activity and foot size.

Then, maintain your weight by maintaining food intake and regular exercise to reduce the pressure on your feet. However, don't forget to warm up and cool down either before or after exercise.