Heel Spur Symptoms and Treatment

A heel spur is a bony formation located at the calcaneous bone or heel bone that can clearly be seen through x-ray. Also called calcaneal spur, this condition is commonly associated with plantar fasciitis when the spur is located at the inferior aspect or at the bottom of the calcaneous bone. 

Though these conditions are related, they are two different disease entities. Plantar fasciitis refers to the irritation or inflammation of the plantar fascia, and a spur usually forms because of this. But not all patients with plantar fasciitis develop a heel spur and not all patients with heel spurs have plantar fasciitis.

Heel spurs are common in patients who suffer from chronic heel pain due to an inflamed plantar fascia. This is often seen on middle aged men and women or among active athletic individuals involved in sports like runners, basketball players and volleyball players.

Patients do not actually complain of heel pain due to heel spurs but from pain due to plantar fasciitis. Most often, a heel spur can only be found or diagnosed through radiological findings where the pointy bony prominence is located at the attachment of the plantar fascia.

How do heel spurs form? About 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis will develop heel spurs. The plantar fascia, which is located at the bottom of the foot, is a strong fibrous tissue that attaches to the heel bone to the balls of the foot.  It is responsible for the arch of the foot and plays a major role in the biomechanics of the foot. This fascia is also constantly under tremendous stress when walking, running or bearing weight.

However, this important structure is very prone to injury and degenerative changes. The natural wear and tear of this tendon can cause irritations and inflammation causing chronic heel pain. For some reason, the new bone growth is formed at the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone probably because of the constant stressful pulling action.

Treating pain associated with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis can be done conservatively. Most often, the R.I.C.E. method which stands for rest, ice, compress, and elevate can effectively relive pain. Other treatments are foot inserts, pain medications and steroid injections. 

A new treatment called ESWT uses multiple shock waves to naturally stimulate healing in the injured fascia. This is a holistic approach since it encourages the own healing properties of the body.

For more information about heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, please visit the Family Foot and Leg Center in Naples or Contact Dr. Kevin Lam at (239) 430-3668.