The Relationship Between Age-Related Incidences of Heel Spur with Sex and Side

Abstract

Heel spur is an osteophytic protrusion larger than 2 mm that lies just anterior to the tuberosity of the calcaneus. Heel spur can be of two types: plantar heel spur and dorsal heel spur. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the heel spurs incidence with age, sex and side. A total of 2000 bilateral radiographs of 1000 patients (518 men and 482 women) aged 20-93 years who applied to Terme state hospital, Samsun, Turkey due to trauma were examined. Patients were grouped into 10 year age ranges (20-29 years; 30-39 years; 40-49 years; 50-59 years; 60-69 years and over 70 years). The incidences of plantar heel spur, dorsal heel spur, and both were evaluated according to age, sex and side relations. Plantar or dorsal heel spurs were detected in 32.6 % (326 patients) of the patients. The incidences of plantar heel spur, dorsal heel spur, plantar and dorsal heel spur were 26.0 %, 16.9 %, and 10.3 % respectively. According to sex, the incidence of plantar heel spur was higher in women in all age groups. Although the incidence of dorsal heel spur was higher in men in the 6th decade, it was more common in women in other age groups. The incidence of plantar heel spur was 2.615 times higher in the right foot and 2.810 times higher in the left foot in women. As the age increased, the risk of plantar heel spur increased 1.060 times in the right foot and 1.061 times in the left foot. The incidence of dorsal heel spur was 1.510 times higher in the right foot and 1.715 times higher in the left foot in women. As the age increased, the incidence of dorsal heel spur increased in both feet and this increase was 1.055 times in both feet.