A bone spur is an excess growth that is normally smooth to the touch and found on the bones of the shoulders, hands, hips, knees and the feet. Generally, most bone spurs have no symptoms and cause no pain unless they're rubbing against tissues or other bones, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Heel spurs can be caused by plantar fasciitis, which can make running uncomfortable. Taping a heel spur can sometimes help to alleviate that pain during exercise.
Taping Tips
Reduce stress on your foot, which can cause pain and aggravate a heel spur. Use athletic tape to cover the same area of the foot as the plantar fascia, which will keep the plantar fascia from stretching. The plantar fascia runs along the entire length of the foot, from where your foot meets your toes, down to your heel. Your tape should begin at the heel and go to the base of your toes. Rub the tape to make sure it sticks completely, providing tension. Remove the tape after your run to let the skin breathe.
Strapping for Arch Support
Arch support strapping applied to your foot will help ease the pain caused by heel spurs when running. Stick one end of your athletic tape to the side of your foot, directly behind the ball of your smallest toe. Run the tape down the length of the foot, then around the back of the heel, without letting it wrinkle. Pull the tape snugly as your come around to the inside of the foot. Keep applying the tape until it's directly behind the ball of your largest toe, then cut the tape and press it down to secure it. Run a second piece of tape along the same area as the first, overlapping just enough so that the second piece lies halfway onto the first piece of tape. Use lengths of sticky elastic dressing bandages across the sole of the foot, from the ball of your smallest toe to the ball of your largest toe. Add more elastic bandages, overlapping each time by around 3/4-inch until you've covered down to the middle of your heel. Cover the bandages with two additional pieces of tape, affixing them over the first two pieces of athletic tape you applied. This will help keep the elastic bandages in place.
Shoe Accessories
You can add shoe inserts, heel pads or heel cups into your running shoes to help with the symptoms of bone spurs in the foot, suggests Medline Plus. These shoe accessories can be found in retail shoe stores, online and through some doctor's offices. A podiatrist's office will be able to offer suggestions for running shoes, inserts and custom orthotics.
After Your Run
After your run, take off your running shoes and tape to rest your foot. Heel spur pain can be eased by applying an ice pack for 10 minutes, removing it for 10 minutes, then reapplying for 10 minutes more, according to Medline Plus. Stretching the calf muscles before and after running can be helpful for heel pain as well.
