title: [The radiotherapy treatment of painful calcaneal spurs].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many patients attend orthopedic departments complaining of pain on the plantar aspect of the calcaneum. The symptoms may subside spontaneously, but often persist. Treatment is usually by local injection of a corticosteroid, orthopedic devices or other standard treatment. If these methods fail, X-ray treatment may be considered. The efficacy of radiotherapy of the calcaneal spur was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  From April 1981 through December 1991, 18 patients with painful heel were irradiated mostly with the caesium or telecobalt unit, usually with a dose of 4 times 0.5 Gy. Among these patients, 12 could be followed up during a prolonged period on the basis of questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the categories of v. Pannewitz 17% of the patients were pain-free by the end of the treatment course, 22% showed marked improvement, 33% showed improvement and in 28% the pain was not influenced. Over an average of 41.5 months 58% of the patients reported freedom from pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose radiotherapy appears to relieve the painful heel syndrome in a high proportion of patients. The overall treatment risk appears to be very small. The mechanism of low-dose radiotherapy is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Strahlentherapie-Radioonkologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Micke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glashörster
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rübe
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Prott
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Willich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004583:Electrons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005096:Exostoses / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes
vernacular_title: Strahlentherapeutische Behandlung des schmerzhaften Fersenbeinsporns.