Many conditions can affect the rear part of the foot and ankle. Two common conditions can cause pain to the bottom of the heel and lead to surgical intervention: plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of a fibrous band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel bone to the toes) and heel spurs (often the result of stress on the muscles and fascia of the foot).

There are many causes of heel pain and most cases can be effectively treated without surgery. Chronic heel pain, however, often can be corrected only through surgery.

A surgical procedure, called an osteotomy, is performed to relieve the pressure on the bone from heel calluses. The procedure involves cutting the metatarsal bone in a "V" shape, lifting the bone and aligning it with the other bones. This alleviates the pressure and prevents formation of a heel callus.