Does cortisone injection treat heel spur?

A heel spur is a bony growth that may be seen near the heel. The spur itself is not always the source of pain; irritated soft tissues, often around the sole or heel, can be more relevant. Cortisone can reduce local inflammation around those tissues and make walking easier for a period.

This is symptom relief, not removal of the bone. Pain can return if the loading pattern, tight calf, footwear, or another foot problem remains. Assessment helps distinguish heel-spur findings from other causes of heel pain.

Ask a clinician to assess your walking pattern, footwear, calf flexibility, and the precise tender area before choosing an injection. A plan may include reducing aggravating activity, supportive footwear, calf and foot exercises, and other measures suited to your examination.

If an injection is chosen, follow the aftercare instructions and increase walking gradually. Do not inject a painful heel repeatedly without reviewing the diagnosis and other options. Learn more about [Cortisone Injection](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/cortisone-injection/).

Seek prompt assessment if heel pain begins after a fall or forceful landing, you cannot bear weight, or the foot becomes markedly swollen. Urgent care is appropriate for fever with redness or warmth, spreading skin changes, new numbness, or a cold or discoloured foot.

Is the spur causing symptoms, or is nearby tissue the main problem? Where would the injection be placed? What non-injection measures should I start? How will we judge whether the treatment helped, and what should I avoid afterward?