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Heel spurs are a very common condition that we hear regularly from our patients at Care Podiatry. They visit us to get treatment for heel pain that they suspect is caused by a heel spur. In reality, the condition is plantar fasciitis, due to which they have pain at the bottom of their heel. If we talk about heel spurs, they are not at all painful, and most people don’t even know they have the condition. It is usually discovered with an X-ray while investigating other foot conditions.
Heel spurs are usually painless, but they can cause heel pain in most cases. They are commonly associated with plantar fasciitis. But they are not the same. Plantar fasciitis happens when overuse stretches your plantar fascia. You feel intense stabbing pain that comes and goes throughout your day.
Heel spurs can happen as a reaction to the stress and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis. Your body responds to that stress by creating extra bone tissue that becomes a heel spur. Most people don’t find it painful, but when they do, the pain is similar to that of plantar fasciitis.
Most patients visit our Lakewood and Anaheim, CA, offices when their foot condition gets worse. In some cases, we also recommend them for surgery when conservative treatments fail.
If you have a heel spur, you may notice a sharp pain with your first steps. Morning discomfort is very common, and it can happen for a specific reason. Overnight, your foot is in a relaxed position, and during that time, the plantar fascia tightens, the soft tissues become less flexible, and inflammation around the heel settles.
When you begin walking, blood circulation improves, the tissue warms up, and the plantar fascia loosens. It can temporarily reduce pain. However, inflammation is still there, which is why heel pain may return after long periods of standing.
Mild
Moderate
Chronic
Refractory (Resistant Cases)
Occasional heel pain, worse in the morning
Daily pain, tenderness with standing
Persistent pain lasting months
Pain despite conservative care
Minor discomfort during walking
Difficulty with long walking or exercise
Limits work, exercise, and daily movement
Lifestyle limitation
There is a similarity in symptoms between a heel spur and plantar fasciitis. We can accurately diagnose a heel spur specifically while considering your medical conditions, injury history, an X-ray, and clinical exam. Even when a heel spur is confirmed through an X-ray, it can be difficult to confirm if your pain is really related to the spur. It is possible that plantar fascia tissue is causing the pain.
At Care Podiatry, we provide the same initial treatment for both plantar fasciitis and a heel spur. We do complete checkups to provide the right diagnosis for your condition. If you have similar pain, visit our offices in Anaheim or Lakewood, CA, to get the right treatment plan.
At Care Podiatry, we aim to treat the cause, not just the symptoms.
A heel spur is a small calcium deposit that forms on the bottom of the heel bone. It develops over time.
No. A heel spur is a bony growth, while plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the tissue that supports the arch.
No. Some people have heel spurs without any symptoms. In fact, heel spurs are usually not the source of heel pain. The pain most commonly comes from inflammation and/or degeneration of the plantar fascia and surrounding tissues.
Heel pain is worse in the morning because the plantar fascia tightens overnight. When you take your first steps, the tissues suddenly stretch, causing sharp discomfort.
