How to Diagnose Heel Spurs

A heel spur is a hook-shaped piece of bone jutting out of the heel bone (calcaneus). Most commonly it is on the underside of the heel bone and results from calcium deposits at the point where a tendon, called the plantar fascia, attaches to the heel bone. In these cases, the heel spur is associated with a condition called plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tendon that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot. A medical professional relies on symptoms, a physical exam, and X-rays to make a diagnosis.

Instructions

Diagnosing a Heel Spur

• 1

  Be aware of your symptoms. The hallmark symptom of a heel spur is pain, but, according to the Utah State Department of Health, not all heel spurs cause pain. The bony growth itself is not painful. Pain results when the growth irritates the nerves and tendons surrounding it, causing inflammation. A heel spur can range from causing no pain at all to causing pain so severe that you cannot walk (a sign that plantar fasciitis is probably involved).

• 2

  Pay attention to the frequency and intensity of your foot or heel pain and any situations that make it worse. A heel spur may cause an almost-constant ache, regardless of whether you are bearing weight on your foot, although that is not usually the case.

  A heel spur associated with plantar fasciitis is more painful when you first start walking after a period of rest. As you walk for a few minutes, the pain usually eases, although it may persist. It also usually causes sharp pain on sudden impact, such as when you jump. If you are on your feet more than usual one day, a heel spur may cause increased pain the next day.

• 3

  Report your symptoms to a medical professional, such as your regular physician or a podiatrist, who is a physician specializing in diseases of the feet. The doctor will do a physical examination, checking for tenderness and inflammation through the arch, and will take X-rays. While X-rays are generally reliable in the diagnosis of heel spurs, about 30 percent of all bone spurs are not visible on an X-ray.