Overview
Sever’s disease involves a lesion to the heel that appears mostly as a result of excessively twisting the ankle. The injury is particularly prevalent in children over 10 and other younger athletes because the heel bone, muscles and tendons are still developing – the bone faster than the muscles – and the condition strikes a growing part of the bone called the calcaneal apophysis. In older people an injury of this sort generally results in a stress fracture.
Causes
Sever’s disease is caused by repetitive tension and/or pressure on the growth center of the heel. Running and jumping place a large amount of pressure on the heels and can cause pain. Children with Sever’s may limp or have an altered gait due to the pain. Risk factors for Sever’s include tight calf muscles, weak ankle muscles, and alignment abnormalities at the foot and ankle. Sever’s can also result from wearing shoes without sufficient heel padding or arch support.
Symptoms
Pain in the bottom surface and at the back of the heel. Extreme pain when the child places their heel on the ground. The pain is aggravated when running or jumping on hard surfaces. The pain is reduced when the child walks or runs on their toes.
Diagnosis
Sever disease is most often diagnosed clinically, and radiographic evaluation is believed to be unnecessary by many physicians, but if a diagnosis of calcaneal apophysitis is made without obtaining radiographs, a lesion requiring more aggressive treatment could be missed. Foot radiographs are usually normal and the radiologic identification of calcaneal apophysitis without the absence of clinical information was not reliable.
Non Surgical Treatment
If your child is diagnosed with Sever’s disease, treatment is fairly straightforward. He or she should avoid any activities that cause a flare-up of heel pain. Treat the pain with ice for 20 minutes, three times a day. If the pain is severe, over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used for a short period of time. (Don’t use aspirin in a child or teen because it can result in a rare but life-threatening condition called Reye’s syndrome.) In some instances, a child might have other foot problems, as well, such as high arches, flat feet, or bowed legs. In these instances, your doctor can recommend an orthotic device to help further prevent the pain related to Sever’s disease. One other simple tip that can prevent Sever’s disease or speed along recovery is for your child to wear supportive shoes and avoid going barefoot as much as possible.
Exercise
Stretching exercises can help. It is important that your child performs exercises to stretch the hamstring and calf muscles, and the tendons on the back of the leg. The child should do these stretches 2 or 3 times a day. Each stretch should be held for about 20 seconds. Both legs should be stretched, even if the pain is only in 1 heel. Your child also needs to do exercises to strengthen the muscles on the front of the shin. To do this, your child should sit on the floor, keeping his or her hurt leg straight. One end of a bungee cord or piece of rubber tubing is hooked around a table leg. The other end is hitched around the child’s toes. The child then scoots back just far enough to stretch the cord. Next, the child slowly bends the foot toward his or her body. When the child cannot bend the foot any closer, he or she slowly points the foot in the opposite direction (toward the table). This exercise (15 repetitions of “foot curling”) should be done about 3 times. The child should do this exercise routine a few times daily.
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