The Source of Heel Pain: Plantar Fasciitis or a Heel Spur?

The sharp pain that stabs into the heel on the first step in the morning is often assumed to be a "heel spur." But the real name for this condition is plantar fasciitis, and the two aren't the same thing. Correctly telling apart the source of the pain also means the treatment gets built correctly.

What is plantar fasciitis?

There's a thick band on the sole of the foot running from the heel to the toes (the plantar fascia). If irritation develops at the point where it attaches to the heel due to overload, this is called plantar fasciitis. The source of the pain is this soft tissue, not the bone.

The difference from a heel spur

A heel spur is a small bony outgrowth that forms where the plantar fascia pulls on the heel. The critical point: it's usually the plantar fasciitis, not the spur, that causes the pain. Many people with a spur have no pain at all. So the goal isn't "removing the spur" — it's healing the plantar fascia.

What helps?

• Stretching the plantar fascia and calf (especially before getting out of bed in the morning)
• Ice during the painful period; shoes/insoles that support the heel
• Temporarily limiting prolonged standing and running

Does a night splint help?

A splint that holds the foot at a slight upward angle overnight can reduce first-step morning pain by preventing the plantar fascia from shortening overnight. It's not needed for everyone; it's considered as an additional option alongside stretching and load management in cases with pronounced morning pain.

When to see a physician?

Numbness, pain that doesn't ease at night, swelling-redness, or a sudden onset after a fall; not every heel pain is plantar fasciitis.

Fzt. Aydın Ali first tells apart the source of heel pain; runs a programme in person that heals the plantar fascia and increases the foot's load-bearing capacity.