Stoßwellen Zentrum Oberösterreich

Shock wave therapy is a very effective treatment for heel spurs.

Development and cause of heel spurs:

The clinical picture of heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) is a painful change in the tendon plate of the sole of the foot. Although the heel spur is named after the thorn-like, bony spur on the heel bone, the cause of the symptoms is usually an inflammation of the tendon plate of the sole of the foot (plantar aponeurosis). The plantar aponeurosis is a tendon plate that supports the arch of the foot like a tent. Continuous overuse or incorrect loading as well as strong tensile and compressive stress lead to small micro-lesions and tears in the tendon tissue. This leads to calcium deposits in the tendons (the body tries to repair the damaged area) and ultimately to an inflammatory change in the tendon structure.
People with foot deformities (e.g. flat feet), athletes (especially runners), overweight people and people whose work places constant strain on the foot are primarily affected.
Chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can also promote the development of heel spurs.

Symptoms:

Many sufferers complain of severe pain when walking, especially in the morning. The pain is often felt as stabbing or burning and occurs when walking or standing. The symptoms often improve after “going to bed”, but then increase again as the day progresses with increasing exertion. The pain symptoms improve with less exertion.
The morning pain is explained by the fact that the bursa swells considerably overnight and exerts additional pressure on the pain point.
There is a clear correlation between strain and pain: The greater the strain on the corresponding tendon, the greater the pain sensation.

Diagnosis:

The doctor usually makes the diagnosis of heel spurs on the basis of clear symptoms. The pain can be triggered by palpation and pressure on the middle of the heel bone. Sometimes an X-ray or MRI is also taken to clarify the diagnosis.

Therapy:

In addition to conservative measures (rest, anti-inflammatory medication, etc.), shock wave therapy has established itself as a treatment for heel spurs. After 1 to 2 applications, around 80% of patients experience a significant reduction in pain
Subsequent physiotherapy with appropriate stretching exercises increases the long-term success of the treatment.