A 45-year-old man with morning heel pain and no trauma most likely has which condition?

A 45-year-old man with morning heel pain and no trauma most likely has which condition?

• A. Achilles tendinitis
• B. Calcaneal spur
• C. Plantar fasciitis
• D. Arthritis of the foot

Answer: (C)

Morning heel pain with no trauma in a middle-aged person points to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation or degeneration of the plantar fascia at its heel attachment. The classic feature is sharp pain with the first steps after waking or after a period of rest, which may improve with movement but tends to return after standing or walking for a while. This pattern helps distinguish it from other causes: Achilles tendinitis tends to produce pain at the back of the heel along the Achilles tendon and is often triggered by activity that loads the tendon; a calcaneal spur is a bone spur that may accompany plantar fasciitis but isn’t by itself the usual cause of the morning pain; arthritis of the foot would present with joint swelling, warmth, and stiffness rather than isolated plantar fascia pain.

Morning heel pain with no trauma in a middle-aged person points to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation or degeneration of the plantar fascia at its heel attachment. The classic feature is sharp pain with the first steps after waking or after a period of rest, which may improve with movement but tends to return after standing or walking for a while. This pattern helps distinguish it from other causes: Achilles tendinitis tends to produce pain at the back of the heel along the Achilles tendon and is often triggered by activity that loads the tendon; a calcaneal spur is a bone spur that may accompany plantar fasciitis but isn’t by itself the usual cause of the morning pain; arthritis of the foot would present with joint swelling, warmth, and stiffness rather than isolated plantar fascia pain.