Walking can cause heel pain and it’s easy to assume that the root cause of the pain is Heel Spur. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. Neither does a heel spur cause any heel pain nor is there any tell-tale or visible signs of a heel spur. In other words, one may have a heel spur and yet may not feel any heel pain at all. One may not even be aware of the fact that one may have a heel spur on the underside of one’s foot. Fact is about half of those with foot pain have had heel spur causing foot discomfort.

Heel Pain May Be Due to a Spur

Heel spur syndrome is due to heel spurs which are bony protrusions growing underneath the heel. The formation of a heel spur occurs when a string of fibrous tissue stretches underneath the foot and this is the plantar fascia connecting the heel bone. The spur’s growth is in the same direction as the plantar fascia and the formation has a hook-like appearance.

Does Heel Spurs or Plantar Fasciitis Cause Heel Pain?

A bone’s response to stress including

• Strained foot muscles and ligaments
• Optimal stretching of the plantar fascia
• Repeated tear of the thin lining of the heel bone results in Heel spur

Heel spurs usually aren’t painful. As a matter of fact, a handful of people affected by heel spurs undergo foot pain. Athletes who may be participants in sports events involving running and jumping often are affected by Heel spurs. Heel spurs manifest as one is aging, is obese, and is affected by osteoarthritis health conditions.

What is the source of the Pain? 

The foot’s structure is complex comprising of ligaments, tendons, and bones, and therefore there could be any number of the sources of heel or foot pain and a heel spur is an exception.  The symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis is similar to Calcaneal Spur causing swelling of the heel resulting in heel pain.

As a first step in understanding the area of the foot where it hurts the most; the heel, arch or toes the diagnosis followed by the treatment ought to be focused on locating and pinpointing the most tender part of the foot.

Walking can cause heel pain and it’s easy to assume that the root cause of the pain is Heel Spur. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. Neither does a heel spur cause any heel pain nor is there any tell-tale or visible signs of a heel spur. In other words, one may have a heel spur and yet may not feel any heel pain at all. One may not even be aware of the fact that one may have a heel spur on the underside of one’s foot. Fact is about half of those with foot pain have had heel spur causing foot discomfort.

Types of Common Heel Spur

Almost any bone, including the heel, can develop Bone Spurs, and may occasionally result in pain along with other related symptoms. As bone spurs form, heel conditions that are painful arise and they are

• Heel spur syndrome is about bone spur forming beneath the sole on the heel of the foot.  People with common foot condition namely plantar fasciitis may lead to these spurs developing widely known as heel spurs or calcaneal spurs.

• Insertional Achilles tendonitis is foot abnormality related to bone spurs developing at the posterior of the heel bone with the Achilles Tendon inserted.

If you experience acute Calcaneal Spur or Heel Spur periodically, please contact CuraFoot Clinic for an appointment.