Your foot’s arch is supported by the plantar aponeurosis, also known as the plantar fascia, a fibrous membrane that can become inflamed or partially ruptured due to excessive stress, leading to plantar fasciitis. This condition is a common cause of heel pain in Canada and if untreated, can cause calcification resulting in a heel spur. While plantar fasciitis causes pain under the foot, heel spurs may not always be painful. Let’s explore the differences between plantar fasciitis and heel spur.
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the fibrous tissue linking the heel to the forefoot, often associated with impact sports and accounting for 8% of running injuries. Its cause is biomechanical factors combined with poor lifestyle or training habits. Untreated plantar fasciitis can lead to complications such as chronic pain, torn plantar fascia, heel spurs, and joint/muscle pain due to overcompensation. Recognizing symptoms early is crucial.
What symptoms may point toward plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis accounts for 3.6% to 7% of all heel pain cases and presents varied types of pain. Symptoms include pain localized where the fascia meets the heel bone, fluctuating pain especially with initial steps after inactivity, throbbing pain during movement, worsening pain if untreated, swelling, and bruising from fascia rupture which needs medical attention.
How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?
Since heel pain has multiple causes, a podiatry consultation is essential. Diagnosis involves a biomechanical exam through tactile foot manipulation, digital radiography if needed, and MRI if a fascial tear is suspected. Radiography may also reveal heel spurs associated with plantar fasciitis.
How can you prevent plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis arises from poor biomechanical alignment and other factors. Preventive measures include maintaining healthy weight, taking shorter steps, avoiding barefoot walking, moderating high heel use, and using cushioned mats during prolonged standing. Athletes should include rest periods, reduce high-impact sports temporarily, warm up properly, stretch calf muscles and Achilles tendons, and gradually increase exercise intensity.
Can your footwear influence plantar fasciitis?
Inappropriate footwear can worsen plantar fasciitis. Shoes should be closed-toe, have heel pads, use laces or Velcro straps for heel support, not be overly worn, and appropriately fit the foot shape. Custom insoles and heel pads can enhance comfort and support.
What types of physical exercise should you do to relieve plantar fasciitis?
Treatment involves warming up and stretching the injured foot to ease ligament inflammation. Exercises include rolling a tennis ball under the foot to relax the plantar fascia, towel scrunches to strengthen foot muscles, calf stretches against a wall, heel mobilization drawing “8” shapes on the floor, and forefoot stretches pulling toes upwards. These exercises reduce tension in the calf, ankle, and foot. Consult a podiatrist if exercises are painful.
How is plantar fasciitis treated in a clinic?
Treatment plans by podiatrists may include foot orthoses to redistribute load, manual foot therapy, orthopedic shoes, splints, physiotherapy, ultrasound, heel pads, shockwave therapy, therapeutic taping, compression sleeves, immobilizing shoes, cortisone injections (used cautiously), and surgery as a last resort. These treatments often complement each other based on injury severity.
Which people are most at risk for developing plantar fasciitis?
Runners, basketball players, people standing long hours, or walking on hard surfaces are prone to plantar fasciitis. Other risk factors include obesity, heredity (foot arch shape), inappropriate footwear, abnormal foot arches (flat or cavus), poor posture or joint alignment, rheumatoid arthritis, improper training techniques, and frequent corticosteroid injections.
What is heel spur?
A heel spur or Lenoir’s thorn is a bony growth at the junction of the calcaneus and plantar fascia caused by excessive stress. It is closely linked to plantar fasciitis; about 50% of plantar fasciitis sufferers may develop heel spurs, though 16% develop spurs without prior fasciitis. Contributing factors include foot arch abnormalities, lack of flexibility, prolonged walking/running on uneven surfaces, muscle inflexibility, limb length discrepancies, ankle instability, aging, excessive pronation, and improper footwear.
Is heel spur a pathology or complication of plantar fasciitis?
Heel spur is generally not considered a disease due to usually subtle or absent symptoms. Often discovered incidentally via digital radiograph, it represents the body’s attempt to correct imbalance from chronic plantar fasciitis. While the bony growth itself is usually painless, accompanying inflammation can cause acute heel pain requiring podiatrist consultation.
How to diagnose heel spur?
Palpation is insufficient for diagnosing heel spur; podiatry consultation using diagnostic tools like radiography and foot ultrasound helps identify the spur and assess soft tissue damage.
How can one treat heel spur?
Heel spur results from untreated plantar fasciitis and is often painless. If severe inflammation or heel stiffness occurs, management includes resting from sports to reduce tension, applying ice to decrease swelling, moderate use of painkillers (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin), and weight loss to lessen plantar fascia stress. Despite temporary relief with these measures, professional podiatric care is recommended to prevent worsening.
Does heel spur disappear after treatment?
Heel spur cannot naturally disappear once formed. Non-invasive treatments like therapeutic taping or splints reduce inflammation, but only surgery can remove the bony growth. Surgical removal is a last resort as spurs tend to recur; conservative options such as foot orthoses and shockwave therapy are preferred.
PiedReseau has 40 clinics to help treat your heel pain
Heels play a vital role in balance and shock absorption. Sudden stabbing heel pain can disrupt posture and, if caused by plantar fasciitis, may worsen without intervention leading to chronic pain or bony growths like heel spurs. Lifestyle adjustments can provide temporary relief but inflammation and ossification require professional attention. Podiatrists at PiedReseau clinics use diagnostic tools to identify causes and offer tailored treatments.