Your Heel Spur is Not Causing Your Heel Pain
Heel pain is one of the most common foot complaints, but there’s a widespread myth that a heel spur is to blame. In reality, heel spurs are often innocent bystanders that show up on X-rays even when they’re not causing any symptoms at all. If you’ve been told you have a heel spur and that it explains your discomfort, it may be time to take a closer look at what’s really going on beneath the surface.
Heel Spurs: Harmless in Most Cases
A heel spur is a small bony growth that develops at the bottom of the heel bone, usually as a result of long-term traction or pulling from the soft tissues under the foot. Many people imagine this spur as a sharp spike stabbing into the heel with every step. The truth is much less dramatic.
Research and clinical experience show that heel spurs are extremely common and often completely painless. Plenty of people have heel spurs visible on X-ray yet experience no heel discomfort at all. Equally, many patients suffering with significant heel pain have no spur whatsoever. This means the presence of a heel spur is rarely the root cause of the problem.
The real issue usually lies in the soft tissues, particularly the plantar fascia.
Plantar Fascia Pathologies Are the Real Culprit
The plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous band of tissue running from your heel to your toes. It plays a crucial role in supporting your arch and absorbing shock with every step. When this structure becomes overloaded, irritated or damaged, heel pain follows.
This is where plantar fasciopathy comes into the picture. Instead of being caused by a heel spur, heel pain is most often the result of:
1. Plantar Fascia Thickening
Long-term strain can cause the plantar fascia to thicken far beyond its normal size. A healthy plantar fascia is usually around 3 to 4 mm thick. In patients with plantar fasciitis, it’s not unusual to see it measuring 6 mm or more. This thickening creates tension and inflammation at the heel, leading to the burning, stabbing or aching pain many people notice first thing in the morning.
2. Partial Tears
In more severe or prolonged cases, the plantar fascia can develop small tears where it attaches to the heel bone. These partial tears can cause significant pain, swelling and tenderness. They often occur when the fascia is repeatedly overloaded without enough recovery time. Without the right treatment, these tears can become chronic and difficult to heal.
Both of these issues are soft-tissue problems, not bone problems. This is why focusing on heel spurs alone often leads to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment.
Why an Ultrasound Scan Is Essential
Because plantar fascia problems are hidden beneath the skin, the most accurate way to diagnose them is through a musculoskeletal ultrasound scan. Unlike an X-ray, which only shows bone, ultrasound allows your clinician to clearly visualise:
Fascia thickness
Inflammation levels
Partial or complete tears
Heel pad changes
Other contributing soft-tissue structures
A proper ultrasound scan provides immediate, real-time information that leads to targeted, effective treatment. Without imaging, it’s easy to overlook key issues and chase the wrong cause of pain, often leading to prolonged symptoms.
For a deeper look into the causes and solutions for persistent heel discomfort, visit the clinic’s dedicated resource on heel pain treatment:
https://www.birminghamchiropodist.co.uk/heel-pain
Getting the Right Treatment
Once the true cause of your heel pain is identified, treatment can focus on healing the plantar fascia rather than blaming the spur. This may include guided stretching, orthotics, shockwave therapy, or targeted medical interventions depending on the severity.
To understand the full range of clinically proven solutions, explore more about professional heel pain assessment
And if you’re experiencing ongoing symptoms, early diagnosis and intervention can make a huge difference. Learn more about specialist heel pain care at: https://www.birminghamchiropodist.co.uk/heel-pain
Final Thoughts
A heel spur may show up on your X-ray, but that doesn’t mean it’s causing your heel pain. In most cases, plantar fascia irritation, thickening or partial tearing is the real source of discomfort, and only an ultrasound scan can confirm what’s happening. With the right diagnosis and treatment plan, long-lasting relief is absolutely possible.
