The condition is usually caused by a change or increase in activities, no arch support in the shoe, lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, being overweight, a sudden injury, using shoes with little cushion on hard floors or ground, using shoes that do not easily bend under the ball of the foot, or spending too much time on the feet. The cause is usually unknown and mysterious to the patient. It has often been said that those with flat feet or high arches are more likely to get plantar fasciitis (heel spurs), but I do not know if that is the case. Some people that Ihave spoke to who have suffered from heel pain have indicated they have high arches and I personally have flat feet. It may run in the family.

Arthritis, heel bone damage ("stress fracture"), loss of natural tissue for cushioning under the heel ("fat pad atrophy"), tarsal tunnel syndrome (the foot's version of carpal tunnel syndrome), and other conditions can cause similar foot and heel pain. Many of the ideas presented here can be helpful in dealing with these other conditions. Body weight is a major cause of heel pain. People whio are overweight are mores susceptible to heel pain.

Heel pain can also be the result of faulty biomechanics (walking gait abnormalities) that place too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissues that attach to it. The stress may also result from injury, or a bruise incurred while walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces; wearing poorly constructed footwear; or being overweight. Other reasons include:

Rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, including gout, which usually manifests itself in the big toe joint, can cause heel discomfort in some cases.

Heel pain may also be the result of an inflamed bursa (bursitis), a small, irritated sack of fluid; a neuroma (a nerve growth); or other soft-tissue growth. Such heel pain may be associated with a heel spur, or may mimic the pain of a heel spur.

Haglund's deformity ("pump bump") is a bone enlargement at the back of the heel bone, in the area where the Achilles tendon attaches to the bone. This sometimes painful deformity generally is the result of bursitis caused by pressure against the shoe, and can be aggravated by the height or stitchng of a heel counter of a particular shoe.

Pain at the back of the heel is associated with inflammation of the achilles tendon as it runs behind the ankle and inserts on the back surface of the heel bone. The inflammation is called achilles tendonitis. It is common among people who run and walk a lot and have tight tendons. The condition occurs when the tendon is strained over time, causing the fibers to tear or stretch along its length, or at its insertion on to the heel bone. This leads to inflammation, pain, and the possible growth of a bone spur on the back of the heel bone. The inflammation is aggravated by the chronic irritation that sometimes accompanies an active lifestyle and certain activities that strain an already tight tendon.

Bone bruises are common heel injuries. A bone bruise or contusion is an inflammation of the tissues that cover the heel bone. A bone bruise is a sharply painful injury caused by the direct impact of a hard object or surface on the foot.

Stress fractures of the heel bone also can occur, but these are less frequent.

The many doctors that I have spoken to have told me that generally heel pain is caused due to a condition called over pronation. This causes your feet to roll in too much as you walk and puts extra stress on all the muscles and bones of the feet. View the different types of orthotics and insoles that i tried in the treatment section.