Pain Heel Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis Heel spurs are the best known heel problems. A heel spur is a point of excess bone growth on the heel. The bone growth usually extends forward towards the toes.
Heel spurs are visible on X-ray.
The most common heel problems are actually caused by a painful tearing of the plantar fascia connecting the toes and the heel. This may result in either a heel spur or plantar fasciitis. If your foot flattens or becomes unstable during critical times in the walking or running cycle, the attachment of the plantar fascia into your heel bone may begin to stretch and pull away from the heel bone. This will result in pain and possibly swelling. The pain is especially noticeable when you push off with your toes while walking.