We have seen an abundance of children with posterior heel pain this winter. The most common cause for posterior heel pain in children is Calcaneal Apophysitis or Inflammation of the calcaneal growth plate more commonly known as Severs disease. Children with Calcaneal Apophysitis will usually complain of pain at the base of the Achilles tendon where it meets the heel.
This condition is very common in the winter months due to the sporting calendar; winter sports such as football, soccer, basketball and netball all involve repetitive stress to the heel. Commonly children with posterior heel pain are involved in not only one but sometimes multiple sports in the same season leading to extreme amounts of stress on the heel. This accompanied by rapid growth of the lower leg bones, leads to tight muscles and pain.
Common treatment options involve stretching and massage to loosen tight muscles and activity modification. However if these treatments do not reduce the child’s discomfort further investigation should go into the child’s biomechanics. After treating numerous cases of juvenile heel pain in our clinic we have developed a very systemized plan to not only identify problems but treat them. Our treatment plans usually involve but are not limited to; a strength program, stretching/ foam roller work, footwear modifications, orthoses or heel lifts and conservative pain relief such as topical anti-inflammatories (such as voltarel gel), cryotherapy (ice-pack) and compression.
If your child is struggling with heel pain which is not resolving we would love to help!
We also offer late weekday and Saturday morning appointments to accommodate for busy families!
Tags : Severs, Severs disease, calcaneal apophysitis, heel pain, achilles pain, foot pain
