Boney, reddened, painful bump. This is the essence of a heel spur. We’ve all heard of the term, but what is a heel spur? It is essentially a built-up lump of calcium in the heel that causes pain and discomfort. For those afflicted with the foot condition, it’s natural to want to seek treatment to make the aches and pains go away. While surgery is a viable option, many people often try alternative methods before resorting to surgery, even though surgery is the most reliable way to stop the problem. Ice, over-the-counter medicine, and foot massages are used frequently to help the pain, but you are not always in a position to apply ice or give yourself a foot massage. In this case, many have turned to heel spur socks. These easy-to-slip-on footwear accessories are advertised as a simple way to deal with your heel spurs throughout the day without much hassle, but will they really relieve the pain?
Many temporary solutions to heel spurs, such as sleeves and socks, can indeed relieve pain. In some of the more mild cases, a sleeve or sock will be just enough to take the pain away. Unfortunately, the pain from heel spurs is most often described as a sharp and intense prick in the foot and is found in those with flat or overly arched feet, as well as those that are constantly running or walking on hard surfaces. The pressure created by the compression socks is intended to increase blood flow and reduce repeated interaction between those hard surfaces and the heel. Combine that with some of the other remedies mentioned, such as ice packs and over-the-counter meds, and you’ve got a recipe for temporary success. On the other hand, some have complained about a lack of results after using the socks and have needed to resort to surgery for relief.
While heel spur socks can help in reducing the pain associated with heel spurs, they cannot permanently cure them. If you’re tired of dealing with the constant struggle of heel spurs and temporary solutions to the problem, getting surgery is the only tried and true way to remove them forever. That’s not to say the socks or slip-on sleeves can’t help in the meantime. In fact, they’re one of the best options as far as temporary care is concerned and are definitely worth trying out if you don’t want to jump straight into surgery. Eventually, it is highly recommended that you get a procedure done, and sooner rather than later, but you could do worse than using the socks for the time being.
In the end, heel spur socks are a bit of a mixed bag as far as results go; they can help to alleviate pain for some, while others conditions have progressed enough that they really have little to no effect at all. It really just depends on the severity of the heel spur, as many people with heel spurs do not even feel any pain. There are several different types of heel spurs socks to try, and plenty of other methods, too, but surgery is the only way to remove them in their entirety.
If you’re currently suffering from heel spurs and are looking to make a change, contact Northwest Surgery Center or call our toll-free number at (800)-873-1060, where experienced professionals will help put an end to your annoying heel spurs. Permanently.