What are heel spurs?
If you have heel pain then we are sure you know that each step can have you in pain and once you take off your shoes at the end of the day, there are few other people in the world as glad for a sit down as you. This heel pain could be the result of heel spurs. Now, we always recommend getting your feet looked at by a specialist, like us, before you start treating yourself as using the wrong treatment, may result in more pain, more treatments and possibly surgery in the future.
That being said, if you are 100% sure that you have heel spurs then hopefully this article can help you choose your next pair of shoes. Heel spurs are very common in people that stand, walk or run on hard surfaces most of the day, this happens to be most of us which is why heel spurs are a very common condition.
This kind of activity means that your plantar fascia can be overstretched and overworked. It can even cause tears to this ligament which is called plantar fasciitis. In the most extreme cases of this condition, the ligament can begin to pull away from the bone, heel spurs are basically extra bone that is created because of this injury. Now, heel spurs are not painful by themselves, they are just pieces of bone, after all, instead, it is the irritation that they cause to the surrounding tissue that causes the pain.
What are the best shoes for heel spurs?
So, now you know the reason for your pain, what are the best shoes to wear to help you with the pain?
Well, we won’t be naming any brands of shoes in this article because many of the brands offer different things and it should be a personal decision as to which ones you choose. Instead, we are going to look at some of the things that you should consider when buying your next pair of shoes.
Comfort – This is fairly obvious but your new shoes should be comfortable. They should cradle your heel and provide it with protection from the hard surfaces that you are standing on. If your new shoes cradle your foot and offer this protection, it can help relieve the pain from plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.
Stability – A strong pair of shoes that can support your feet during standing, walking or running is crucial.
Low impact – Reducing what you can feel through your shoes will help you massively as well.
Now, there are many other factors to consider as well, things like other foot conditions you may have. If for example, you suffer from athlete’s foot then breathable uppers on your shoes are worth their weight in gold. If your foot is angled while you walk then you will need shoes that counteract this movement and make sure that your steps are stable, this can really help reduce the pain you are in.
We hope that this article has helped you choose your next pair of shoes. If you do have heel spurs or other common foot conditions then do make sure to try a few pairs of shoes on before you make your decision. A shoe that works for someone else, may not work for you.