What is a heel spur?

If you are in Elmwood Park and someone has said the words heel spur, you probably want a plain definition first. This page gives the published one and then points you to the other sources worth checking.

A bony growth at the bottom of the heel

Cleveland Clinic defines a heel spur, or bone spur, as a bony growth that pokes out from the bottom of your heel. It sits where your heel bone connects to the plantar fascia, the ligament running between your heel and the ball of your foot.

How common it is

Cleveland Clinic says heel spurs affect about 15% of people.

Other pages on heel spurs

For comparison, read the NHS page on plantar fasciitis and the AAOS OrthoInfo page on plantar fasciitis and bone spurs. MedlinePlus also collects pages on foot injuries and disorders.

What a finished recovery should show

Judge a heel problem by what you can do again. If heel pain returns when you resume running, work or lifting, treat it as a warning and have it examined.

What to try before you resume

Ask a clinician what you should be able to do before you go back to your activity. Bring along the plain definition above so you can use the same words.

Start with the definition

A definition is the first standard. Done right, it comes before the treatment talk, not after.