Bone spurs are smooth, bony growths that form over a long period where bones meet each other aka joints. Bone spurs mostly develop in the back or sole of the heel bone in the foot and around joints where degeneration is taking place. According to WebMD, your body tries to fix bone damage by adding bone to the injured area. This causes bone spurs.
Best Shoes To Avoid Spurs Develop In The Feet/ Heels.
Most bone spurs remain undetected as they do not cause any symptoms. However, some bone spurs can cause pain and loss of motion in joints. These may be caused due to bone spurs pressing on some nerve or tendon or rubbing with other bones.
Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can cause bone spur at the back of the heel bone and inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot can cause bone spur in the underside heel bone. These are often referred to as heel spurs. Heel spurs may become painful and cause difficulty while walking, running, and other activities.
It is to be noted that bone spurs or heel spurs are irreversible. However, there are many treatment options to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and improve joint strength and movement.
One of the methods to improve bone spurs in the feet is to wear well-fitted shoes with good arch support and a good cushion to pad each step. Wearing thick socks is recommended to avoid excessive rubbing that can cause wear and tear to your heels. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has a guidance article on choosing the right shoes.
Here are some shoe recommendations to avoid/ prevent bone spurs and find relief in case bone spurs develop in the feet/ heels.
- HEALTH FIT Men’s HF001 Shoes: These look stylish and are comfortable with leather and rubber soles. It is designed to reduce foot pain, heel pain, arch pain and knee pain.
- DOCTOR EXTRA SOFT Slipper: These are orthopaedic anti-skid, slip-on slippers made of synthetic material and designed specifically to help with orthopaedic problems such as Plantar fasciitis, ortho pain, heel pain, arch pain, ankle pain and knee pain.
- Vionic Men’s Khai Casual Slip On Shoes: These trendy, casual shoes come with concealed orthotic arch support. It has a sturdy outsole and comes in leather or nubuck options.
- HOKA One Bondi 7: These shoes come with some impressive cushioning while walking and running. It can help reduce the impact if you have heel spurs and help relieve pain.
- FitFlop Allegro: FitFlop is a premium, luxury shoe brand that uses an anatomically shaped footbed with a built-in arch contour for better comfort. These are biomechanically engineered, super comfortable ballerina shoes that are slip-resistant and aesthetically designed.
- Kenkoh Japanese Massage/ Reflexology Sandal: Kenkoh is a premium, luxury brand that specialises in clinically tested (in Japan) massage footwear. Kenkoh sandals feature 1000 rubber nodes to replicate reflexology treatment. It has an orthotic arch to support good posture and designed to have a shock absorption cushioning system to help relieve pressure when walking.
- ORTHO JOY Women’s Doctor Ortho Slippers/ Flip-flops: These are adorable looking casual slippers that are extra soft and have a cushioned footbed for enhanced comfort. These slippers are lightweight and crafted to prevent blisters, scars, sweating and pain. These are to be used by those suffering from Plantar fasciitis, ortho pain, heel/ arch/ ankle/ foot pain and knee/ back pain.
- Bourge Women’s Micam-z52 Walking Shoes: These are comfortable, soft-soled and cushioned shoes specifically for walking and similar activities. These are slip-on shoes and lightweight which makes them easy to wear. They help to pad pressure from each step.
If you do not find an orthopaedic shoe of your choice or you continue to have trouble with your footwear, you can also choose to buy orthotic insoles. Orthotic insoles that provide arch support, pain relief and cushion can be purchased online or in any shoe store. If you are willing to spend a bit more, you can even customise insole for personalised heel and shoe fit. If you buy insoles, you may not need to buy new shoes and can continue with the ones you already have. Plus, insoles are significantly cheaper than a pair of new shoes.
It is recommended to buy the most appropriate footwear for best results especially if you are suffering from bone spur in your feet.