Dorsal Heel Spurs: On The Trail Care

[sam1000000]

Hi,
I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with spurs on the backs of both of my heels. My doctor gave me some silicone heel cups with a little lift and I purchased some inserts for super high arches from tread labs. However, I still have some amount of pain (not debilitating, but I'm also not hiking multiple miles per day). Does anyone have thoughts on how to deal with this while thru-hiking the AT?

[Traveler]

What does your doctor say about daily hiking or extended treks and how to manage their impacts? There can be a variety of treatments from orthotics to cortisone shots to surgical processes depending on the condition type and severity. Does the MD suggest pain can be manageable with anti-anti-infammatory drugs and/or icing following a long hike?

Foot and lower joint pain are pretty common among avid hikers, I would imagine anyone having over a few thousand miles of trail under their belt has had to deal with some form of chronic pain issues from knees down to toes. Many of these issues can be addressed with treatment or rest, however as most of us have found out some are exacerbated when by trying to push through pain that changes our pace and gait, causing other sympathetic problems to develop. You may need to find a good sports orthopedic doctor to make this determination, which may seem like a pain (no pun intended) but will be worth it in the long run.

[sam1000000]

I mentioned hiking the AT but he kinda blew me off with a cross that bridge kinda comment before showing me the door. I guess I should've been more assertive. I'll see who else is in my area and is covered with my insurance.