Heel spurs are strongly related to plantar fasciitis. Although heel spur cases are not isolated to instances of plantar fasciitis, 70 percent of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that can be seen on an X-ray.

The plantar, which literally means “bottom of the foot”, is supported by a shock absorber called the fascia. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of this connective tissue. Generally, plantar fasciitis affects athletes and people over 40 years of age. Plantar fasciitis is caused by excessive wear and tear on the fascia, which in this case means the condition is a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Every time your foot strikes the ground your plantar fascia is stretched, when your heel lifts off the ground your plantar fascia experiences tension. Any extra tension coming from excessive training can result in overstretching, inflammation and/or micro-tearing of the fascia at your heel, the weakest point.

As your body tries to heal the fascia, a heel spur or osteophyte (bony outgrowth or calcium deposit) develops around the bottom and/or the back of your heel which protrudes into the soft tissue. It can vary in shape from a flat, shelf-like growth to a hook-shaped, pointy projection, and can extend forward up to a half inch. Your body hopes this extra bone and tissue will help to relieve the pressure on your plantar fascia. Heel spurs can affect your ability to do your usual work and/or activities, and can also trap and irritate the nerves in your heel area. They can change the way you walk, and can lead to knee, hip and low back injuries. If severe, they may require medical intervention

Heel spurs are considered a self-limiting condition, which means you can control the pain and the progression of the condition by making some simple changes to your lifestyle. For example, improper shoes such as high heels and training too hard and too suddenly can put excessive strain on the plantar fascia. However, sometimes heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are related to other conditions like faulty foot mechanics such as being flat footed or having a high arch which affects the way you walk and run.

If you have inflammation in your heel or plantar, it's very important to heal it quickly and completely. If you don't, it may plague you forever.

Treatments for heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are aimed at reducing inflammation, pain, increasing the fascia’s range of motion, and speeding recovery time. A speedy and effective recovery should be your highest priority, not only so you can return to a high level of performance, but also because prolonged injuries can lead to scar tissue and a higher risk of re-injury.

At the onset of heel spurs and/or plantar fasciitis immediate measures should be taken in order to avoid serious damage. Ignoring the symptoms thinking they will go away naturally and continuing with activities that cause foot pain will certainly lead to more serious problems in the future. In order to avoid serious plantar injuries try to maintain a strict regimen of icing after walking or running.

To control pain in the initial stages of the injury the application of cold therapy can help slow blood flow. Our cold compression wraps are made of the highest quality materials available. They fit perfectly, stay in place, are extremely durable, and use a special patented baffled cold array. What is a baffled cold array? All other cold packs simply use a plastic bag partially filled with cold gel. What is sure to happen is the gel pools in the low spots or in pockets where there is no pressure. Fill a plastic bag with water and put it on your arm and watch what happens - all the water sits in two pools on either side of your arm. Cold compression wraps work because they interrupt and slow nerve and cell function in the damaged area.

This can be further helped by the use of ultrasound applications over the affected area, as it reduces swelling quickly and increases blood flow to the area.

Therapeutic kits from MendMeShop provide you with the tools necessary to relieve the pain of heel spurs and plantar fasciits and dramatically speed the healing.

Radiant Energy and Ultrasound dramatically increase the blood flow and reduces inflammation in the injured area. You need to reduce the swelling and stimulate the blood flow so your plantar gets the nutrition and oxygen it needs to properly heal. Inflammation around the area can create extreme pain and reduce your ability to move. When using radiant energy or ultrasound, the energy waves stimulate blood flow which speeds up healing and clears away the inflammation causing the pain. Furthermore, you need a tool that will provide deep penetrating heat to help limber the fascia before stretching the area in the morning and throughout the day.

Our Ultrasound system comes with a specially formulated gel which contains naturally-based, pain relieving, anti-inflammatory ingredients. The ultrasound unit actually drives the pain relieving ingredients deep into injured tissue (a process known medically as phonophoresis) giving you the pain relief where you need it. In effect, you receive enhanced ultrasound therapy treatment every session! The MendMeShop Portable Ultrasound Device is a product that is prescribed by doctors and used in physical therapy and chiropractic clinics. MendMeShop Lavender Infusion Gel is a professional product for professional quality treatments. It's powerful, effective, hypoallergenic, and it works!. Now, the tremendous benefits of therapeutic ultrasound and phonophoresis are available to you. And we back our products with a 100% Money Back Guarantee.