Children’s Heel Pain

Is your child limping off the field or court at the end of their game?

Heel pain is very common in active children and at its worst, can prevent them from playing the sports that they love. The good news is that most common causes of heel pain can be treated effectively with a visit to Feetology Podiatry Centre.
 

Severe’s Disease

The most common causes of children’s heel pain that we see in the clinic is a condition caused Severe’s Disease. This is when there is excessive pulling of your achilles tendon on the growth plate at the back of your heel, resulting in swelling, inflammation and pain.
 

Who gets Severe’s Disease?

It occurs in active (soccer playing/footballing type) children between the ages of 9 and 13. It occurs more commonly in boys – although we do see plenty of girls with this as well.

What factors contribute to getting Severe’s Disease?

Your child’s foot and leg functions combined with a high level of activity can lead to extra loading on the heel bone. Other factors like footwear and flexibility can contribute and will be assessed as part of your child’s treatment.

How can it be treated?

Treatment starts with a good assessment of how your child is moving, not just the feet but the whole body. Other areas that are addressed include footwear, training techniques and flexibility. Treatment will normally consist of a combination of stretching, footwear changes/modifications and orthotics (arch supports), depending on the outcome of our assessment.

So remember, if your child has heel pain that is impacting on their budding sports career, come and have them assessed by one of our podiatrists. They may well have a very treatable issue and could be back on the sports field in no time! Call us or request an appointment today.