A heel spur does not necessarily cause discomfort. Some affected persons have no symptoms at all for a long period of time, which is why the heel spur can remain undetected for a long time. However, once it has reached a certain extent or the inflammation of the tendon strand on the underside of the foot (plantar fascia), which usually accompanies it, has set in, a heel spur always becomes symptomatic.
The main symptom of the heel spur is pain in the heel area. This pain can vary in type, severity and frequency from patient to patient. Usually, however, they are felt as stinging, sometimes even burning, as if “stepping on a nail”.
These pains are mainly felt in the morning immediately after getting up, during the first steps of the day (this is called tarnishing pain) and generally when they occur. In principle, however, they can appear irregular at any time, whether under stress or at rest. Usually the pain is felt most clearly on the inside of the foot, but for some people it can radiate into the surrounding foot or even into the lower leg.
In order to spare the painful area, many people who suffer from a heel spur increasingly walk on the outside of the foot. The ability to roll the foot when walking is also limited. In some cases, the pain is accompanied by swelling, overheating and/or redness of the heel, which is a sign of an already pronounced inflammation.
A distinction is made between an upper and a lower heel spur. These impress with slightly different symptoms. Patients with an upper heel spur feel pressure sensitivity especially in the area of the Achilles tendon, especially at ankle level.
In the case of a lower heel spur, this pressure sensitivity is more likely to occur at the tendon insertion, i.e. somewhat further down in the lateral heel area. Initially, the symptoms caused by a heel spur improve over the course of the day and are bearable. However, the longer this disease remains untreated, the more the risk increases that the complaints become chronic and lead to a severe impairment of everyday life, which is why therapy is highly recommended.
