Painful feet are very debilitating. Pain in the heel area is especially common and may be associated with a calcaneal spur, usually referred to as a heel spur. Our feet are made up of a series of small bones, known as the tarsal bones.  These tarsal bones, starting from the calcaneus (heel) form an arch, which is supported by a strong band of sinew (plantar fascia) stretching across the sole of the foot below the surface of the skin. With repeated activity on our feet, this fascia causes persistent traction (tugging) on the attachment point into the bone, and inflammation and pain may develop at this site. This painful condition is known as plantar fasciitis. Sometimes a sharp ‘spur’ develops at the site of this traction on the bone and protrudes into the surrounding tissue. But the pain is usually due to the plantar fasciitis, rather than the heel spur itself.