The end of summer is often a time when student athletes gear up to start training for fall sports teams. Before school is officially in session, there's plenty of time for ramped up training schedules. Unfortunately, though, this sudden increase in activity could lead to a major cause of heel pain in kids: Sever's disease. But what is this condition? Who's most at risk? Can you prevent Sever's disease or, if your child is already in pain, how can we treat the condition in our Powder Spring's podiatry practice? Here's what you need to know.
What is Sever's Disease?
While the name might suggest otherwise, Sever's disease is not a contagious illness. (It's also known as Calcaneal Apophysitis.) Instead, it's a condition that causes pain in the back of a child's heel. Specifically, the condition develops if a child's Achilles tendon pulls against the growth plate on the back of your child's heel, causing swelling and inflammation to set in. But why would the Achilles tendon start to mess with your child's growth plate?
Basically, the condition develops when active children experience a rapid growth spurt. During this period of growth, the child's heel bone also grows quickly. In turn, the growth stretched and inflames surrounding muscles as well as the Achilles tendon.
Who is at Risk?
Children between the ages of seven and 15 are at the highest risk for Sever's disease, especially if they are active. While any serious athletic activity can lead to Sever's disease in children, the riskiest sports involve lots of running or jumping, particularly on hard surfaces. As such, kids who play basketball, run track or engage in gymnastics are more likely to deal with this cause of heel pain in kids.
Now, because the condition is also tied to children's growth spurts, boys and girls are impacted differently. The risk for girls is typically highest between age 7 and 13. In contrast, boys aged 10 to 15 are most likely to develop this condition. And, while rare, extremely active children could be left dealing with this cause of heel pain as early as the age of five.
Sever's Disease Symptoms
Children who have developed this condition experience heel pain, typically located on the inside, outside, or back of their heel or heels. (One or both legs can be affected by Sever's disease.) There may also be visible redness or swelling. When children with Sever's disease first wake up, their feet may feel stiff. Later, this kind of heel pain will likely worsen when your child is active, improving when he or she is able to rest. However, whether at rest or at play, your child will experience sharp pain if you squeeze his or her heel bone from the sides. And, while the degree of discomfort varies, some children are so impacted by Sever's disease that they begin walking with a noticeable limp or even appear to walk on tip-toe.
Prevention
Once your child has finished growing, (around age 15) he or she won't need to worry about Sever's disease. But until then, you may be able to prevent the pain and inflammation by:
- Choosing supportive shoes that fit properly and have plenty of padding in the soles
- Stretching before and after athletic activities
- Icing the heel area for 15 minutes after athletic activity
- Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight
- In some cases, getting fitted for custom orthotics may also help prevent problems
Diagnosis and Treatment
The good news is that, even without treatment, Sever's disease will resolve on its own. However, that process could take several years. And, in the meantime, your active kid will be limited by heel pain. As such, we recommend seeking Sever's disease treatment as soon as your child experiences discomfort.
Often, we can diagnose this condition with a physical exam and medical history. However, in some cases, we may suggest taking an x-ray in order to confirm a Sever's disease diagnosis. This is the most definitive way to get to the root of your child's heel pain, since the growth plate will be visibly changed in kids experiencing this concern.
Once we know your child's diagnosis, treatment can begin. For starters, we'll recommend daily icing and a course of anti-inflammatory medications. Next, we may suggest that your child wears a medical grade insole or custom orthotic, thus reducing tension from the Achilles tendon. Some kids may benefit from sleeping in a splint that stretches out the tendon, to reduce tension on the growth plate. And, in some cases, children may benefit from physical therapy as they recover.
Of course, we can't help resolve kids' heel pain if we don't see you in the office. So we ask that you remember: foot or heel pain is not a normal part of growing up. And there are things we can do to help your child feel better and remain active. Simply call the office at 770-727-0614 or click here to request an appointment.
