Operative therapy of the heel spur
In the vast majority of patients, the conservative therapy of heel spurs can achieve a significant reduction in symptoms or even freedom from symptoms. A frequent problem regarding the success of the therapy is the continuous strain/overload at work, which often cannot be reduced and stands in the way of a successful therapy. Only when the conservative therapy has been fully exhausted does the surgical intervention come into play.
The goal of the surgical therapy is no different from that of the conservative therapy. In heel spur surgery, the plantar aponeurosis (attached tendon plate) is detached close to the heel bone for strain relief. The removal of the calcaneal spur itself is not generally recommended.
Very large calcaneal spurs, however, should be removed by surgery. A soft bedding of the heel is necessary after the operation. The success rate of the operation is 80-90%.
The follow-up treatment phase lasts for months. During this time, the inflammatory region gradually calms down, which is noticeable in the easing of the pain. Fatigue fractures of the heel bone (calcaneus) due to the abrupt lack of tension on the heel bone caused by the so-called platarapeunorosis are described as a complication of this operation as a counterweight to the body load.
How long are you ill after heel spur surgery
After the operation of a calcaneal spur, the affected foot should not be loaded with the full body weight for about two to three weeks, so that the wound can heal. As far as the pain caused by the operation wound allows, however, partial weight-bearing of the foot is quite possible. The wound should be checked regularly to detect possible infections at an early stage.
Full weight-bearing on the foot is possible again once the wound has healed, but the final result may take months to assess. In order to achieve complete healing of the heel spur and to prevent heel pain from reoccurring after the operation, physiotherapy should be started in the first days after the operation. After the wound has healed completely and the surgical sutures have been removed, training to strengthen the foot muscles should be started and the corresponding tendons stretched. As a rule, it takes about 12 weeks after the operation with the above-mentioned measures until the foot is able to bear weight again without restrictions, but in rare cases the disease phase can last up to a year.