Usually, calcium is beneficial and helps to promote good strong and healthy bones. There are only a few instances where a build up of calcium can be a problem and one of these instances is with heel spurs.
These pointy bony growths at the base of the heel can be associated with plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the connecting tissue that joins the ball of the foot and the heel bone. These calcium deposits build up over many months and there are several types of people that are more at risk than others for developing this foot problem. Some of these groups include:
- People who enjoy running and jogging on hard services. Although you’re trying to get in shape and improve your cardiovascular performance, this kind of exercise can cause repeated tearing of the membranes covering the heel bone leading to these spurs.
- Buying shoes that don’t fit properly is another risk factor. Shoes that are worn are also bad for your feet because they’ve lost the proper arch support.
- Being overweight doesn’t help matters. Obesity and carrying around too much weight in general can bring heel spurs on and cause any inflammations that you already have to get worse.
- Diabetes is one of the other risk factors.
- There are even some physical traits that can encourage heel spurs like flat feet and high arches.
Prevention:
There’s an old song that starts out “ These shoes were made for walkin,” and that’s a good piece of advice if you’re looking to prevent a heel spur. Well fitting shoes are one of the best ways to prevent this issue. There are a few things that you should know about finding a good pair.
- Don’t plan on buying a pair that will stretch out over time to feel comfortable. Remember, the ball of your foot should fit nicely in the widest part of the shoe you are thinking about buying.
- Modern innovation has made it easier to buy shoes with shock absorbent soles that can prevent any heel spurs before they start.
- Rigid shanks are another option that you should be looking for.
- Of course, if you are overweight, losing a few pounds can help prevent this issue from cropping up.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to do some stretches and warming up before any physical activity to prevent the kind of wear and tear that can lead to heel spurs.
