Growing Pains in Young Heels
Has your active youngster been hobbling off the sports field with sore heels? You might be seeing what we know as Calcaneal Apophysitis (or Sever’s disease) – don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds! It’s actually a really common growing pain that we see in sporty kids.
What’s Actually Happening?
While your child is growing, their heel bone has a special growth plate that’s a bit like a construction zone – always busy building new bone. Sometimes, especially during active sports, this growing area can get a bit irritated and sore. It’s particularly common in kids aged 8 to 14 who love their sport.
Spotting the Signs
You might notice your child:
- Limping towards the end of their footy game or netball match
- Complaining about sore heels after running around
- Being less keen to join in their usual sporting activities
- Walking differently to avoid heel pain
Why Does It Happen?
Think of it like a tug-of-war happening at the back of the heel. On one side, you’ve got the Achilles tendon (that’s the strong cord at the back of the ankle), and on the other, you’ve got the foot’s natural arch support. When kids are very active, especially if they have tight calf muscles or feet that roll inward, this tug-of-war can make that growing area in the heel feel sore.
The Good News
Here’s the really positive part – this is completely manageable! With the right care, we can help your young athlete get back to doing what they love. The pain typically responds really well to treatment, and we’ve got lots of gentle ways to help them feel better.
If your child’s been mentioning sore heels, pop in to see us. We’ll check what’s going on and put together a plan to get them back to running, jumping and playing comfortably again.
Want to chat about your child’s heel pain? We’re here to help keep those young feet happy and active!
Treatment
When this condition affects both feet, often the diagnosis can be made clinically. If only one foot is affected then x-rays should always be taken of both feet if your child fails to respond to what is considered normal treatment for Severs disease. This is to ensure serious problems such as bone infection or bone tumours are not overlooked. Even in cases where both feet have been affected, x- rays or MRI scans should be carried out if a child is failing to respond to conservative treatment.
Treatment of Severs disease usually involves a combination of ice therapy, activity review and / or modification, review of training surfaces, exercises, footwear review and orthotic inserts where foot function is causing excessive traction on the heel growth plate.
Treatment of Severs disease does NOT require surgery. This foot condition responds very well to conservative treatment within a matter of weeks. If your child suffers from heel pain, get them checked out especially when only one foot is affected.