- heel pain can be a complex picture to unravel
- the heel is subject to compressive landing forces, traction forces from the Achilles tendon, & sheering forces from the plantar fascia
- heel pain can be referred from the low back, or it can be the result of inflammatory disease processes
- a bony heel spur, whilst commonly seen on x-rays, is rarely the actual source of heel pain.  The plantar fascia & the Achilles tendon being the most common sources of heel pain in adults
- in growing children and adolescents, it is important not to miss Sever's disease as the cause of heel pain