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Nov 16, 2007 - Heel SpursBack
HEEL SPURS
Definition:
The heel bone (Calcaneous) is the largest bone in the foot and absorbs the most of the shock and pressure. A heel spur develops as an abnormal growth of the heel bone. Calcium deposits form when the plantar fascia pulls away or is strained from it attachment on the heel area. The result is the development of a bony protrusion, or heel spur. The plantar fascia is a broad band of fibrous tissue located along the bottom surface of the foot that runs from the heel to the forefoot.
Heel spurs per say are not normally the cause of the pain in the heel. Instead they are the result of or a sign that there is a pathology or inflammation of the plantar fascia. Heel spurs are often a misdiagnosis of a condition called plantar fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis is discussed in detail separately in another section.
Cause:
Heel spurs develop as an abnormal growth in the heel bone due to calcium deposits that form when the plantar fascia pulls away from the heel.
This stretching of the plantar fascia is usually the result of over-pronation, but people with unusually high arches (pes cavus) can also develop heel spurs.
Treatment & Prevention:
The key for the proper treatment of heel spurs is determining what is causing the excessive stretching of the plantar fascia. Refer to section on plantar fasciitis for more information.
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