148 - Calcaneal Spur Syndrome

Abstract

Calcaneal spurs are a common cause of heel pain. They can occur anywhere along the calcaneal tuberosity but are most frequently found at the insertion of the plantar fascia. Calcaneal spurs are usually asymptomatic, but when they are painful, the condition is generally the result of inflammation of the insertional fibers of the plantar fascia at the medial tuberosity. Symptomatic calcaneal spurs are often found in association with plantar fasciitis. Like plantar fasciitis, calcaneal spurs can occur alone or may be part of a systemic inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter's syndrome, or gout. In some patients, the cause seems to be entirely mechanical, and such patients often exhibit an abnormal gait with excessive heel strike. High-impact aerobic exercise has also been implicated in the development of calcaneal spur syndrome.