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The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Seniors: Bone Spurs

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Bone Spurs

Just like the spurs that cowboys sport, bone spurs are projections capable of causing great pain. Older people are prone to heel spurs because as you age, there is an increasing likelihood of developing heel trouble, according to Glenn Gastwirth, D.P.M., executive director of the American Podiatric Medical Association and executive editor for the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. High heels, flimsy sandals, and wing tips without shock-absorbent soles all encourage heel spurs, says Dr. Gastwirth.

In addition, as you grow older, the natural fat pads that cushion the sole of your foot including your heel can wear down, like pads under a carpet. They don’t provide the shock absorption they once did, says Dr. Gastwirth. Here’s how you can blunt heel spurs.

Try This First

Reduce inflammation. Acute pain can be reduced by applying ice to the inflamed area four or five times a day, says Terry Spilken, D.P.M., podiatrist and adjunct faculty member at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in New York City. Hold an ice pack wrapped in a towel or cloth on the area for 10 minutes, then remove the pack for another 10 minutes. Repeat this procedure several times, or until the throbbing subsides.

Other Wise Ways

With a chronic problem, apply heat. Keep inflammation in check with daily heat applications. Hold a heating pad or a hot-water bottle, as warm as can be tolerated and wrapped in a towel, on the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes four or five times a day, says Dr. Spilken.

Get help from OTC drugs. Doctors recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain killers such as ibuprofen to reduce pain caused by bone spurs and reduce further inflammation. Be sure to take these with a meal to prevent stomach distress, says Dr. Spilken.

Eschew flat shoes. Unless you find that they really provide adequate support and shock absorption, steer clear of flat shoes. They stretch the ligament on the bottom of the foot even farther, says Dr. Gastwirth. Canvas tennis shoes are a bad choice for people with heel spurs, he says, as are sandals and sling-backs. These styles provide little to no heel support and control.

Put your foot in a padded cell. When you’re buying new shoes, select supportive, well-padded shoes—the kind with shock-absorbing insoles and a rigid heel support, says Dr. Gastwirth. In addition, shoes with laces will provide more support than slip-on shoes or sandals.

Managing Your Meds

On occasion, patients taking isotretinoin (Accutane) may develop bone spurs, says W. Steven Pray, Ph.D., R.Ph., professor of nonprescription products at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. Since isotretinoin is most commonly used to treat acne, the side effects of this drug are mainly limited to the younger population. However, isotretinoin is sometimes used to treat psoriasis and tumors for research purposes, so it might be prescribed to an older person, says Dr. Pray.

Make like an athlete. The American Podiatric Medical Association recommends well-supported walking or running shoes. Laced shoes with stiff, closed-in heel counters (the part of the shoe that surrounds the heel itself) keep the feet from rolling and provide stability, says Dr. Gastwirth.

Toss the worn ones. Shoes should be replaced every 300 to 350 miles, Dr. Gastwirth says. You don’t have an odometer on your shoes, of course, but the mileage is pretty easy to figure out. If you wear one pair of shoes twice a week and walk 3 to 4 miles each day you wear them, you’ll want to consider buying a new pair of shoes once a year.

Try massage. Gently massaging the heel really helps, says Dr. Spilken. Stroking the pained area brings up extra blood, further reducing inflammation, he says.

Sitting in a chair, support the sore heel on the knee of your opposing leg, says Dr. Spilken, then stroke the aching area with your thumb, applying gentle pressure in a circular motion. He recommends doing this for five minutes whenever your heel hurts.

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