I am seeing a client tomorrow who has a heel spur. The client is being treated by a specialist and this has not helped. I shall be giving a general treatment to help improve circulation, etc, however I was interested in whether anyone has had any success with spurs. 🙂
Hi,
A heel spur is a small spike of bone which grows from the bottom of the heel forward. They are quite small, and although some still think they are abnormal, all the evidence now points to them being a normal finding with around 50% of the population having them.
The pain associated with heel spur is usually located around the medial calcaneal tubercle. It is normally either muscular or periosteal in origin. The heel spur is almost an incidental finding.
The patient is usually told "heel spur" because that is what is identified on x-ray.
Yes, I have lots of success in treating this type of symptom, normally termed Plantar Fasciitis.
I use computer gait analysis, orthoses and soft tissue work - usually deep transverse frictional massage.
Tip - if your client is female you could ask her to raise her heels a bit. This works in a % of cases I see without any further intervention. It takes the pull off the muscles on the bottom of the foot and allows them to settle down - worth a try.
David:)
David,
Thank you for your indepth advice. I have treated a client with Plantar Faciitis. She was one of my case studies to qualify as a reflexologist and it was only after concluding her treatments that she realised that her plantar issue was resolved and indeed a year later it is still fine. Thanks for your help.:)