I had a heel spur start bothering me after my last BB tournament of the year. It hadn't bothered me in about 14 years -- back when I was still doing Tae Kwon Do three nights a week. Then, after working 3 soccer games one day it was killing me. I started using a "Heel Halo" (or "Halo Heel" can't remember which one)and it's worked wonders. I found out several guys in the local BB association have lots of problems with spurs. Anyone else have this problem and things that worked for them?

May times, heel pain is plantar fasciitis, not heel spurs.

Agreed, the pain is not caused by the spur, but it's easier to spell and pronounce than plantar fasciitus.

Yeah but the treatments are completely different. You need to be working on the arch and the tendon, not the heel.

See this thread from last week.

http://www.officialforum.com/thread/19666

Here's something Gerry Davis offers... not sure if it works or not.

http://www.gerrydavis.com/Merchant2/...egory_Code=625

You want arch support. Using something like those heel cups will actually lessen your arch support. Those are good if you've bruised your heel. PF is more of an arch/tendon condition even thought the pain is in your heel.

Tanner,
Thanks. Got something like that and they help. The heel halos seem to work the best, though, and they're only 5 bucks a pair. Have done several soccer games totally pain free with them in. But I was running on great fields in a state of the art complex in Evansville. They are like carpet. Tomorrow will be a good test. The field I am working is one of the worst I see. I hated to play there whn I was coaching. Hard field, spotty grass, ruts. It'll be a good test.

This is anecdotal, but since I started wearing a neoprene ankle support two years ago, no heel or arch pain whatsoever. Not to mention no more ankle sprains.

If it's really plantar fasciitis, it won't matter. The surface doesn't really affect the tendon. So it will be a good test. If it hurts a lot worse, it's probably spurs. If it's only a little worse or not worse at all, then it's probably plantar fasciitis. Do your heel halo thingys have any arch support to them? If they help that much, it might really be spurs.

I had this early in the season. I iced and rested but the heel cups seemed to make a tremendous difference. Very little pain after I started using them.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rainmaker
Do your heel halo thingys have any arch support to them? If they help that much, it might really be spurs.
__________________________________________________ _________
Juulie,
Not at all. They are a heel cushion with little air pillows and a big indentation in the the middle to avoid heel contact on the spur. You can get them in any drug store. So far they have made a huge difference. As for the arch, ironically my Pony Anaheim turf shoes, which haven't been made for several years now, have a very distinct and comfortable arch. They have very good arch support. I wore them without the halos and worked 3 games and my heel hurt. I wore them four days later with halos and did the center on 2 U-15 girls games, and again two days later for one 1 side and 2 centers. Pain free after both sets of matches. I'll see what tomorrow holds, but so far my experience has been like stmary's.

Usually the only thing that helps me when I get a problem like this is a morphine drip.

They're really fun to use during a game. :)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by refnrev

Quote:

Originally posted by rainmaker Do your heel halo thingys have any arch support to them? If they help that much, it might really be spurs. __________________________________________________ _________ Juulie, Not at all. They are a heel cushion with little air pillows and a big indentation in the the middle to avoid heel contact on the spur.

I think you're agreeing with me, or I'm agreeing with you, or something. If it is plantar fasciitis, the cushion and the indentation won't help much. So if the "heel halo" helps, then it probably means that the problem ISN"T p.f. but rather real bone spurs.

Juulie,
Let's just agree to agree.
RR

Well, I don't know how my heel feels because everything on my body hurts. It was supposed to be a three game round robin, but the manager of one of the first two teams forgot to tell his team about the games. No show. So no game one. Game two I worked the sides and the temperature was 44 degrees with about a 20 mph wind. Home team ran an offside trap all second half so I spent a most of the half sprinting to stay with the second to the last defender. No game three because of the no show. I can't complain about just having one game, though. I was so cold after that one that it took 15 miles with the heat blaring to begin to thaw out! I guess I'll know more after my next set of matches.