Heel Spurs Causes

Your plantar fascia is only able to stretch to 102% of its length without tearing; therefore it doesn't have much flexibility when exposed to excessive weight or heel pounding. The main cause of this condition is from overuse and overloading in occupations where you are on your feet all day (teachers, store clerks, soldiers, waitresses, hostesses), activities that require you to push heavy items (shippers and receivers, construction workers) and/or sporting activities in which you overexert yourself (doing too much, too fast and/or too soon), especially running, football, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, step-aerobics, stair climbing, dancing.

Poor biomechanics (abnormal twisting of your foot) affects the way your foot hits the ground. If you overpronate (feet rolling inward) you tend to have a low arch and flat foot (pes planus), which increases pressure on your plantar fascia. If you underpronate (feet rolling outward) you tend to have rigid feet and a high arch (pes cavus), which results in a shortened plantar fascia.

Faulty foot structures (abnormal growths, different leg lengths, and unhealed injuries) and muscle imbalances (tight, weak or shortened muscles in your foot, ankle, calf and hamstring) can cause you to walk on your toes which increases the strain on your plantar fascia and the muscles on the sole of your foot (flexor digitorum brevis and quadratus plantae).

Regular shoes or high heels that are too tight or don't support your heel or arch affect the distribution of your body weight on your foot and add undue stress to your plantar fascia and back of your heel. This causes a lot of rubbing and pressure points on your foot.

Health conditions such as obesity, inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis), bursitis, neuroma (nerve growths), gout, diabetes, Haglund's deformity, and achilles tendinitis can also instigate the problem.