Heel spurs can cause significant discomfort and impact your mobility. Nearly 1 in 10 people will experience heel spurs or related heel pain, making it a common issue that needs effective management. Fortunately, targeted exercises and stretches can help support recovery.
At Martin Foot & Ankle, we provide trusted foot and ankle care in South Central PA. Whether you're dealing with heel spurs or another mobility issue, our experienced team offers expert diagnosis, personalized treatment, and compassionate care. Schedule an appointment today to take the first step toward pain-free feet.
Read on to learn four exercises to help reduce heel spur pain and find lasting relief.
How Physical Therapy Helps with Heel Spur
Physical therapy can stretch and strengthen the foot muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your feet and lower legs. Stretching helps ease tension in the plantar fascia, a key area affected by heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, while strengthening improves arch support. Keeping your legs straight or your knees straight during certain stretches can increase effectiveness.
These exercises also boost blood flow to the connective tissue, helping the body heal, reduce pain, and reduce inflammation. Incorporating physical activity, like exercises where you slowly rise onto your toes with a bent front knee, can also help address issues caused by bone spurs.
Step-by-Step Guide to Four Effective Exercises
1. Calf Stretch
- Purpose: Reduces tension in the Achilles tendon, back calf, and plantar fascia insertion.
- How to Perform:
- Stand facing a wall with one foot forward and the affected foot extended back.
- Keep your back heel flat and lean forward, bending your opposite knee slightly.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds, then switch sides.
- Repeat 3 times per side.
2. Towel Stretch
- Purpose: Improves flexibility in the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and calf muscles.
- How to Perform:
- Sit on the floor with legs extended, keeping your knees slightly bent or straight, depending on comfort.
- Loop a towel around the ball of your affected foot.
- Slowly pull the towel toward you, keeping your leg in the starting position.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 3 times per foot.
3. Toe Curls with a Towel
- Purpose: Strengthens the foot muscles and arch muscles, improving support for chronic plantar fasciitis.
- How to Perform:
- Place a small towel flat on the floor.
- Sit in a chair and rest your affected foot on the towel.
- Use only your toes to scrunch and pull the towel toward you in a controlled manner.
- Repeat 10-15 times per foot.
4. Rolling a Ball Underfoot
- Purpose: Massages and relieves tension in the plantar fascia, helping treat a plantar calcaneal spur.
- How to Perform:
- Sit in a chair, sit upright, and place a small ball, like a golf ball, under your foot.
- Roll the ball back and forth from the heel bone to the toes.
- Do this for 1-2 minutes per foot.
Tips for Adding These Exercises to Your Routine
- Pick a consistent time, such as morning or evening, to do your exercise program.
- Start gently and increase intensity in a controlled manner.
- Combine these strengthening exercises with supportive shoes, shoe inserts, or night splints for the best results.
By incorporating these exercises into your treatment program, you can improve long-term foot health, reduce pain, and effectively manage chronic plantar fasciitis. Addressing risk factors like flat feet is crucial. Try exercises where you pull your toes backward and gently stretch your foot to strengthen it.
When to Seek Professional Care for Heel Spurs
If severe pain persists despite regular stretching exercises, rest, and conservative treatments like cold therapy, over-the-counter medications, or shoe inserts, it may be time to see a physical therapist.
At Martin Foot & Ankle, we provide personalized care, including cortisone injections, custom orthotics, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to address inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis.
Please note that heel spurs on the bottom of the heel do not cause pain; the pain is caused by plantar fasciitis, which is a soft tissue issue.
Other Treatments for Chronic Pain
Nonsurgical treatments include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, decreasing inflammation using cold therapy, or stress fracture prevention techniques. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is another effective option, using high-energy shockwave impulses to promote healing. If nonsurgical methods don’t work, surgery may be considered, such as a partial plantar fascia release, which addresses the soft tissue tension causing pain.
Heel spurs on the bottom of the heel are not surgically removed as they do not cause pain. However, spurs on the back of the heel, associated with Achilles tendonitis, can cause pain and may require removal.
Surgical Treatments
Surgery is typically a last resort for treating plantar fasciitis or heel spurs associated with Achilles tendonitis. For plantar fasciitis, surgery involves releasing tension in the plantar fascia to reduce pain and improve mobility. If spurs on the back of the heel are causing pain due to Achilles tendonitis, they may be surgically removed. While recovery takes time, surgery can provide significant relief for some patients.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Nonsurgical treatments aim to reduce pain and relieve inflammation. These include:
- Resting and using cold therapy.
- Wearing supportive shoes, shoe inserts, or night splints.
- Over-the-counter medications to manage pain.
- A consistent exercise program guided by a physical therapist to improve flexibility and reduce pressure on the heels.
These conservative treatments are often effective and less invasive than surgery.
Take the First Step Toward Heel Pain Relief
Regular care and proper treatment are essential to managing and overcoming heel spurs effectively. With expert care from Martin Foot & Ankle, you can find lasting relief and get back to the activities you enjoy.
Don’t let heel pain hold you back any longer. Schedule an appointment with Martin Foot & Ankle today to explore our personalized treatment options, including custom orthotics and physical therapy. Our team is here to help you find your path to comfort and mobility—contact us now to get started!
