Analysis of several common problems of heel spurs

  The “heel spur” referred to here is a common occurrence in middle-aged and elderly people. Most people have heel pain due to bone spurs in the heel. Heel spurs are the most common cause of heel pain in middle-aged and elderly people, followed by metatarsal fasciitis, heel fat pad inflammation, and heel bursitis. After the disease, standing or walking a little longer that the heel pain, local micro-swelling, encounter ground unevenness or gravel choking will cause tear-like sharp pain, due to local congestion, some night also appear chicken peck-like jumping pain; many people wake up in the morning, the heel dare not immediately land, need to rub massage with hands, feet on the ground rubbing for a long time, in order to slowly get down to stand, so patients are very painful, and even lose the ability to work, to life This causes a lot of pain and even loss of ability to work and inconvenience.  The cause of heel bone spur is complex, according to Chinese medicine, it is mostly due to strain, blood stagnation, loss of nourishment of tendons and veins, closed meridians and channels, and pain if it does not pass; according to Western medicine, the disease is caused by contracture of the long metatarsal ligament and metatarsal tendon membrane, which causes continuous strain injury at the attachment point of the heel bone, and the fibers of the ligament and tendon membrane are constantly torn, and the attachment point is constantly calcified and ossified, resulting in the formation of bone spurs. Dr. Shi Yue, chief physician of the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, believes that the main reason for the occurrence of the disease is due to the aging of the muscles, ligaments and bones after decades of life, walking, weight-bearing, labor, the decline in elasticity, the collapse of the arch, the loss of normal mechanical balance of the foot; plus strain, trauma and other factors that cause long-term friction between the heel bone and the surrounding soft tissues, resulting in sterile inflammation. In addition, factors such as strain and trauma cause long-term friction between the heel bone and the surrounding soft tissues, resulting in aseptic inflammation, scarring, adhesions, contractures, and significantly increased stress on the metatarsal tendon membrane and metatarsal ligament at the heel bone attachment, which results in localized hyperplastic calcification under the self-protective compensatory effect of the human body, thus forming the so-called “bone spur”.  Diagnosis: Lateral X-rays can show varying degrees of “beak-like” bone spurs at the heel tuberosity, but early X-rays of heel spurs can be negative. Uncommonly, heel spurs are atypical on X-rays and appear as villi-like images of new bone formation.  Complications: Compression of the vascular nerve by the enlarged bone spur can lead to severe pain in the foot, difficulty walking, and even paralysis. Osteomalacia has become one of the difficult diseases that affect the quality of life of the elderly.  Through long-term clinical research, according to the characteristics of the disease, small needle knife therapy is used to partially cut and release the attachment points of the metatarsal tendon membrane. Through cutting, the spastic and adherent tissues are loosened, the local stress is improved, the mechanical balance is restored, and the shovel grinding bone tip reduces the local tissue pressure and improves the microcirculatory disorder. It not only strengthens the efficacy of harmonizing qi and blood and unblocking meridians, but also plays the role of loosening ligament adhesions and tendon membrane contractures, quickly achieving the therapeutic purpose of activating blood circulation, loosening adhesions, and relieving spasm and analgesia.      (1) Choose suitable shoes to reduce the burden on the feet and reduce the friction between the soles of the feet and shoes.  (2) Reduce foot-based strenuous exercise to prevent and reduce pain.  (3) The occurrence of heel spurs is related to the lack of calcium in the body, and calcium supplementation is beneficial for symptom relief.  (4) The elderly should moderate their diet, maintain an appropriate weight and avoid obesity.  (5) Soak feet in warm water to promote local blood circulation.