CALCANEAL SPUR

A bony spur projecting from the back or underside of the heel bone (the calcaneus) that often makes walking painful. A calcaneal spur is also called a heel spur.

Spurs at the back of the heel are associated with inflammation of the Achilles tendon (Achilles tendinitis) and cause tenderness and pain at the back of the heel that is made worse by pushing off the ball of the foot.

Spurs under the sole (plantar area) are associated with inflammation of the plantar fascia (the "bowstring-like" tissue stretching from the heel underneath the sole) and causes  localized tenderness and pain made worse by stepping down on the heel.

Not all heel spurs cause symptoms. Some are discovered on X-rays taken for other purposes.
Heel spurs and plantar fasciitis can occur alone or be related to underlying diseases which cause arthritis (inflammation of the joints) such as Reiter's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

A plantar calcaneal spur is an outgrowth from the bone at the back of the foot known as the calcaneus. This outgrowth is the cause of severe discomfort on the sole of the foot (plantar surface) and pain and is commonly known as heel spur pain. These spurs may develop over a long period of time and are initially unidentifiable, even upon x-ray, although the symptoms are present. Calcaneal spurs may be mistaken for plantar fasciitis, which is the inflammation of the thin fibrous layer between the skin on the sole of the foot and the bones of the foot.