I used to love going barefoot, but mostly just indoors.  I kept my athletic shoes by the door to slip
on when going out, but as soon as I was back home, off they came.  Life’s just better without shoes and
socks. 

Or so I thought.

Several years ago, as I was taking the future Queen of the
Picky Eaters out for a walk in her stroller one day, I was suddenly hit with
some pretty serious pain on the bottom of my heel.  It felt like a very bad bruise, though I knew
I had done nothing to injure it.  I
mentioned it to my mother-in-law shortly thereafter, and she identified the
problem immediately.  She called it a
bone spur (though heel spur is actually the correct name for it).  Unlike bone spurs, heel spurs are calcium
deposits that build up on the underside of the heel bone, usually over the
course of a few months.  However, like
bone spurs, the pain they produce can be absolutely incapacitating. 

And in case you were wondering, there is absolutely nothing
about this condition in any of the half-dozen off-grid medicine books I
consult.  And there’s nothing in the
herbal medicine books, either. 

The good news is that 90% of heel spurs resolve without
surgical intervention.  The bad news is
that as heel spurs take some time to develop, they also take some time to
resolve.  Prevention is the best way to
go here.

My mother-in-law knew about heel spurs from personal
experience.  She loved wearing cheap
canvas tennis shoes.  I loved going
barefoot.  Both contribute to the
development of heel spurs. 

Risk factors for developing heel spurs:

  • Going barefoot
  • Poorly fitted or worn out shoes
  • Abnormal walking gait that places excessive stress on the
    ligaments, bone, and nerves near the heel
  • Excess weight
  • Running or jogging, particularly on hard surfaces
  • Plantar fasciitis

Other risk factors for heel spurs associated with plantar fasciitis
include:

  • Diabetes
  • Spending most of the day on your feet
  • Frequent short bursts of physical activity
  • Increasing age, which decreases the plantar fascia
    flexibility and thins the protective fat pad of the heel
  • Having either high arches or flat feet
  • Wearing high heels

Some people describe the pain as being like a knife or pin
stuck in the heel when they arise from bed in the morning or after sitting for
a long period. 

Current treatment involves stretching exercises, custom orthotics
for the shoes, physical therapy, and taping or strapping to reduce the stress
on muscles and ligaments.  These likely
won’t be an option in a collapsed society. 
Heel spurs that do not respond to these treatments are managed with
corticosteroid injections or surgery, which definitely won’t be available.  Fortunately, 90% of heel spurs can be managed
with treatment at home. 

Conventional at-home options:

  • Advil, Aleve, or Tylenol
  • An ice pack applied for 10-15 minutes at the first sign of
    pain.  A frozen water bottle works great
    for this. 

Alternative treatments:

  • Apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon each raw ACV and honey in a glass of warm water
      twice a day for two weeks
    • Add ½ cup warm ACV to a small basin of warm water.  Soak the affected heel for 10-15 minutes
      twice a day for two weeks.
    • Cut a piece of a washcloth in the shape of your foot.  Soak it in ACV and place it in your shoe, moistening
      throughout the day as necessary. 
      Continue for 2 weeks. 
  • Baking Soda
    • Mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda with a little water to make a
      paste.  Apply to the affected area and
      secure with gauze and tape.  Do this
      twice a day for two weeks.
    • Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of ACV in a
      glass of warm water and drink.  Do this once per
      day for 2 weeks.
  • Coconut Oil
    • Massage the afflicted area with coconut oil for 10-15
      minutes every evening before going to sleep. 
    • Take 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil every morning for 1
      week.
  • Epsom salt
    • Add 2-3 tablespoons of Epsom salts to a tub of warm
      water.  Soak the afflicted heel for 10-15
      minutes.  Gently massage the foot for 10
      minutes.  Repeat every evening before bed
      for 2 weeks.
  • Turmeric
    • Heat 1 teaspoon turmeric and 1 cup of milk over low
      heat.  Drink twice per day for 2
      weeks.

Links to related
posts:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Baking Soda

Coconut Oil

Epsom Salts

References:

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/heel-spurs-pain-causes-symptoms-treatments#2