Severs Disease Thornbury
Is it Just Childrens Heel Pain, or Something More?
Whenever your child comes to you with something that’s hurt them, your first instinct is to fix it. Whether it’s a kiss on a scraped knee or a hospital trip for x rays, you want the best outcome for their pain. But when they say they have heel pain, what should you do? It’s easy to assume they overdid it at soccer practice and simply have them rest their lower leg for the rest of the day. But what if it’s something more?
What is Sever’s Disease?
Sever’s disease, or calcaneal apophysitis, is a common cause of childrens heel pain. It typically affects children aged between eight and 14 and is most common in active young people.
Sever’s disease occurs when the growth plate in the heel becomes irritated and swollen. It may affect one or both heels. The growth plate—a layer of cartilage near the end of the bone—is weaker than the rest of the bone as it grows, making it more prone to injury.
While it may sound scary, Sever’s disease is actually a self-limiting condition, which means it generally gets better with time. It may be difficult to explain the need for rest and recovery to children—especially those involved in sports or who love to run around with their friends! However, with proper management and care, children with Sever’s disease typically recover well and continue to lead active childhoods.
Symptoms of Sever’s Disease
Common symptoms include:
- Heel pain that worsens during or after activity and gets better after resting
- Swelling
- Redness
- Stiff feet first thing in the morning
- Limping, particularly in the morning and during or after activity
- Walking on tiptoes
- Pain when squeezing the heel
Causes of Sever’s Disease
Sever’s disease occurs during a growth spurt, which is a time when bones, muscles, and tendons grow quickly. Although it occurs at different ages and rates, it typically occurs between the ages of eight and 14 (puberty). As a result, Sever’s disease is often referred to as ‘growing pains’.
It’s caused by repetitive stress to the heel bone and excessive muscle strain. This may happen to any child, but especially those who engage in running and jumping activities. This is because these movements put additional pressure on the heel bone, which is over the growing growth plate.
Ready to help your child get back to kicking goals?
Treatment Options for Sever’s Disease
Treatment options will vary depending on each child. Some options include:
- Orthotic therapy (orthotics)
- Shockwave therapy
- Temporarily stopping the activities that caused the pain
- Using ice packs
- Calf stretches
- Activity modification
- Foot taping
Your Sever’s Disease Questions Answered
Does Sever's disease only occur in children?
Sever’s disease is associated with pre-teens because the growth plate in the heel is open and active during this phase of life. As a result, Sever’s disease only affects children. However, not every child will develop Sever’s disease, and not every child who does get it will experience it at the same age, as all children grow at different rates.
Is Sever's disease the same as plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis, a condition affecting the plantar fascia tissue on the sole of your foot, may feel and appear similar to Sever’s disease, but they are different conditions. Sever’s disease affects the growth plate, while plantar fasciitis affects the plantar fascia. Additionally, Sever’s disease occurs only in children and is uncommon after the age of 15, while plantar fasciitis is most common in adults, whose growth plate has completely finished growing.
Will my child need surgery?
A Sever’s disease diagnosis may mean your child may benefit from treatment, but this is unlikely to include surgery. The pain tends to come and go, and while it may recur for a few months to a few years, it typically resolves with rest, time, and conservative treatments such as orthotics.
Are some children more likely to develop Sever's disease than others?
Any child may develop Sever’s disease just as anybody may hurt their foot, heel, ankle, or legs. Some children are more likely to experience this type of heel pain than others, though, such as children who do activities like football, netball, and running. It’s also more likely to occur when a child begins a new sport, changes from one sport to another, or increases their physical activity. Children with high BMIs or increased body weight are also more prone to developing Sever’s disease.
Why Talaria
Family Friendly
As a family-run podiatry clinic, we welcome children of all ages.
Extensive Experience
With years of education and experience behind us, you can trust our dedicated team.
Wide Range of Treatment Options
Whether you’re dealing with sports injuries, patellofemoral pain, ingrown toenails, or pain in your Achilles tendon, we’re on board to address your pain.
Help Your Child Lead Their Team to Victory With Talaria
Foot pain is no fun for anybody, especially not for kids who love running and playing! Whether their heel pain is new or has been coming and going for a while, it’s best to take them to an experienced podiatrist who will perform a full assessment and get to the bottom of their heel pain. At Talaria Podiatrist, we aim to provide just that in a friendly and welcoming environment where they can feel comfortable and cared for. To address that heel pain and see them back on the field, book an appointment today.