Hard Working Feet
Heel spurs are a very common foot problem, usually causing considerable pain while standing or walking. One common cause is spending a lot of time standing in one place, which is often the case with factory workers who spend most of their time on assembly lines standing in one spot all day. It can also be caused by being overweight, which puts a lot of pressure on the feet, can cause flat feet to form and other bone and muscle damage as well.
The Plantar Fascia
There is a muscle that stretches beneath the bottom of the heel and connects to the arch of the foot. This is called the plantar fascia and repeated damage to this muscle can cause it to split and put pressure directly on the heel bone, causing it to defend itself by forming a spur of bone that sticks out away from the rest of the heel bone. The plantar fascia does not necessarily need to be split to cause this damage to occur, simply stretching it too far for too long can achieve the same results.
Kick the High Heels
Wearing uncomfortable shoes, such as very high heels can be a problem for the plantar fascia. This is one of the most common ways that this muscle gets stretched beyond its capacity. For this reason alone, women seem to be more susceptible to heel spurs than men. Middle aged people are most likely to develop heel spurs but they are not exclusive to that age group. Young women often get them from wearing high heels too often and young men can get them from playing sports, or standing in one place too long while working.
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