Any tips & tricks for running with a bone spur?

[sparklett]

Heeeeellllllppppp!!!!!!!!

A decade ago I developed a bone spur on the bottom of my foot. The pain comes and goes, but with all the extra running/walking I'm doing lately (4-5 miles a day right now) it HURTS like crazy. It doesn't hurt while running, but the pain kicks in after I've been sitting and have to walk on it.

I used to get steroid injections in my foot to help with the pain but there's no way I would even consider doing that now.

I know that the best treatment for it is to loose weight, and I am seriously working on that. In the meantime what can I do to help with the PAIN? I just bought new running shoes and it didn't seem to help. I'm running on dirt and asphalt.

Thanks!

[KarenEMT]

So sorry you're having trouble with this.

My question is: Do you have to run or would another exercise work? I have a reconstructed ankle, and it simply isn't comfortable for me to run outside on hard surfaces at my current weight.

However, I have switched to cycling, which is practically pain free for me since it's non weightbearing. If I work out indoors, I can "run" on the elliptical or treadmill a bit, or I bike or use the rower.

[tjjazzy]

have you tried seeing a specialist for orthotics? that has helped me. i got cortisone shots (ended up with heel spurs after both pregnancies, right foot with the first, left with the second) to help but the orthotics have done quite a bit of good too.

[Geofizz]

I sometimes wear a donut-shaped piece of mole skin over mine when it flares up. It gives it a bit of a gap. Shoe fit makes a big difference to me - I'm quite annoying to shoe store people because I wear around a new brand of shoes in the store for as much as 20 minutes figuring out if they irritate the spur.