If heel pain is preventing your child from being as active as they’d like to be, it’s important that you have your primary care physician or a foot specialist take a closer look. This discomfort could be caused by a condition known as Sever’s disease, which tends to develop during adolescence when the body is growing and changing. Below, we take a closer look at why Sever’s disease can cause heel pain and how Dr. Silverman can help treat the issue.
What Is Sever’s Disease?
Sever’s disease is a condition that occurs when the Achilles tendon ends up pulling on the growth plate of the heel bone. This repeated stress on the growth plate of the heel can lead to pain and inflammation, making movements like standing, walking and running quite uncomfortable. It tends to occur in physically active children between the ages of 8 and 14 years old, and discomfort typically increases during physical activity or a period of rapid growth. During a growth spurt, the bones grow faster than the tendons, increasing the pull of the tendon on the heel.
Aside from heel pain that comes and goes and may be worsened by activity, other symptoms of Sever’s disease include:
- Limping
- Walking on toes to avoid pressure on the heels
- A feeling of pressure on the back of the heel
- Swelling
- Redness
And while Sever’s disease is not all that serious, try telling that to a kid who just wants to run around with their friends without pain, or to a parent who wants to help their child find relief from their discomfort. Fortunately, with targeted treatment, many children and teens can find the pain relief they seek.
How To Treat Sever’s Disease
Treatment is pretty simple on paper, but every parent knows that it’s not always easy to get kids to follow through with commitments like physical therapy or to adhere to restrictions that have been put in place. It will take a concentrated effort from both parent and child to help them successfully overcome this condition. Odds are your foot specialist will recommend a combination of the following treatments:
Rest/Activity Avoidance – You’ll want to cut back a little on activities to provide a better healing environment for the tendon and heel. That’s not to say that children should just sit on the couch for weeks, but limit physical activities that include tasks like running and jumping, especially if symptoms start to develop.
Ice – Icing the back of the heel and the lower Achilles tendon for 15-20 minutes after activity or when symptoms develop can help to calm inflammation and swelling that could be prolonging discomfort.
Footwear Changes – Cushioned and supportive shoes are a must. Shoes that are too tight or unsupportive options can put more strain on the Achilles tendon and in turn the heel.
OTC Pain Relievers – Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications may also prove useful for calming irritation caused by activity.
Physical Therapy and Stretching – Stretching and physical therapy exercises are very important in helping your child find long-term pain relief. Stretching will help to loosen a tight Achilles tendon to decrease the pull of the tendon on the growth plate. Calf stretches through toe pointing or flexing, or by stretching up against a wall can help to take pressure off the heel’s growth plate.
