Reprints
A single copy of this article may be reprinted for personal, noncommercial use only.
Heel spurs: Do they always cause pain?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heel-spurs/AN01966
- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, including subspecialty certification in sports medicine, and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists, and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and an avid hiker, cyclist and climber. He approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and he has received a Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Health and Human Services for his contribution to the Council.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and has provided medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a website guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to the "Mayo Clinic Fitness for EveryBody" book, and he has presented lectures throughout the world on health, fitness and sports medicine topics. His teaching expertise has been recognized by his election to the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame at Mayo Clinic.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Heel spurs: Do they always cause pain?
Do heel spurs always cause heel pain?
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
No. It's possible to have a heel spur — a bony growth that usually begins on the front of your heel bone and points toward the arch of your foot — without realizing it. Heel spurs don't always cause pain. In fact, heel spurs often show up unexpectedly on X-rays taken for some other problem.
Heel spurs occur in about half the people who have plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis), a painful condition involving the thick tissue that runs between your heel bone and your toes. In the past, doctors often performed surgery to remove heel spurs, believing them to be the cause of the pain associated with plantar fasciitis. In treating plantar fasciitis now, doctors rely more on ice, arch supports, physical therapy and pain medications.
- Pasquina PF, et al. Plantar fasciitis. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115839476-3/789283933/1678/89.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50088-2--cesec4_1414. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
- Sheon RP, et al. Plantar fasciitis and other causes of heel and sole pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
- Wapner KL, et al. Foot and ankle. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00025-7--s1405&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00025-7--s1405&uniqId=233234738-2#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00025-7--s1405. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on