Heel Spurs and Heel Pain

Sometimes heel spurs are found in people with plantar fasciitis, but they are rarely the source of pain. Heel spurs are bony growths on the underside of the heel bone caused by tension from a tight plantar fascia ligament. They result from strain on the muscles and ligaments of the foot, stretching of the plantar fascia, and repeated tearing away of the lining or membrane that covers the heel bone. Close to 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that can be seen on an X-ray. Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs are often confused and they are related, but they are not the same condition.