Does Calcaneal Apophysitis Often Have To Have Surgical Treatment?
Overview
Sever?s Disease is often misdiagnosed as a simple growing pains and affects boys far more often than girls, especially between the ages of 8 and 14. It is extremely common in children that play Soccer, Basketball, And Hockey. However it is not limited to these sports alone, nor is it simply a pre-season type condition related to fitness. Sever?s Disease sounds terrible, but there is no need to panic as it is not a contagious or incurable condition. In children, there is a growth plate in the heel bone, which at puberty becomes solid and forms part of the heel, however prior to puberty it can cause pain if the child?s foot rolls inwards or outwards too much, causing increased stress on this growth plate and inturn causes pain.
Causes
Your child?s heel bone keeps forming new bone until the late teens. The new bone is weak and can be damaged by running or pounding on hard surfaces, like during a basketball game. The new bone may also be irritated by shoes with poor padding in the heels or poor arch supports.
Symptoms
The typical patient is a child between 10 and 13 years of age, complaining of pain in one or both heels with running and walking. The pain is localized to the point of the heel where the tendo-Achilles inserts into the calcaneus, and is tender to deep pressure at that site. Walking on his toes relieves the pain.
Diagnosis
A doctor can usually tell that a child has Sever's disease based on the symptoms reported. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will probably examine the heels and ask about the child's activity level and participation in sports. The doctor might also use the squeeze test, squeezing the back part of the heel from both sides at the same time to see if doing so causes pain. The doctor might also ask the child to stand on tiptoes to see if that position causes pain. Although imaging tests such as X-rays generally are not that helpful in diagnosing Sever's disease, some doctors order them to rule out other problems, such as fractures. Sever's disease cannot be seen on an X-ray.
Non Surgical Treatment
Podiatrists have an important role in the provision of orthotics to young sufferers of Severs? disease. Orthotics are specialised insoles designed to accommodate problems with the foot. In this particular condition?s case, orthotics are an effective way of making sure that the heel is cushioned in such a way as to reduce a child?s discomfort and alleviate some of the pressure of walking, thereby facilitating the recovery process. Young athletes can benefit from a visit to a podiatrist to learn about prevention and to have orthotics fitted to prevent Severs? disease from developing. Regular stretching to keep joints supple and loose are a great preventative measure, as is making sure that appropriately fitted and supportive shoes (often equipped with orthotics) are used to prevent future injury.
Surgical Treatment
The surgeon may select one or more of the following options to treat calcaneal apophysitis. Reduce activity. The child needs to reduce or stop any activity that causes pain. Support the heel. Temporary shoe inserts or custom orthotic devices may provide support for the heel. Medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help reduce the pain and inflammation. Physical therapy. Stretching or physical therapy modalities are sometimes used to promote healing of the inflamed issue. Immobilization. In some severe cases of pediatric heel pain, a cast may be used to promote healing while keeping the foot and ankle totally immobile. Often heel pain in children returns after it has been treated because the heel bone is still growing. Recurrence of heel pain may be a sign of calcaneal apophysitis, or it may indicate a different problem. If your child has a repeat bout of heel pain, be sure to make an appointment with your foot and ankle surgeon.
Sever?s Disease is often misdiagnosed as a simple growing pains and affects boys far more often than girls, especially between the ages of 8 and 14. It is extremely common in children that play Soccer, Basketball, And Hockey. However it is not limited to these sports alone, nor is it simply a pre-season type condition related to fitness. Sever?s Disease sounds terrible, but there is no need to panic as it is not a contagious or incurable condition. In children, there is a growth plate in the heel bone, which at puberty becomes solid and forms part of the heel, however prior to puberty it can cause pain if the child?s foot rolls inwards or outwards too much, causing increased stress on this growth plate and inturn causes pain.
Causes
Your child?s heel bone keeps forming new bone until the late teens. The new bone is weak and can be damaged by running or pounding on hard surfaces, like during a basketball game. The new bone may also be irritated by shoes with poor padding in the heels or poor arch supports.
Symptoms
The typical patient is a child between 10 and 13 years of age, complaining of pain in one or both heels with running and walking. The pain is localized to the point of the heel where the tendo-Achilles inserts into the calcaneus, and is tender to deep pressure at that site. Walking on his toes relieves the pain.
Diagnosis
A doctor can usually tell that a child has Sever's disease based on the symptoms reported. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will probably examine the heels and ask about the child's activity level and participation in sports. The doctor might also use the squeeze test, squeezing the back part of the heel from both sides at the same time to see if doing so causes pain. The doctor might also ask the child to stand on tiptoes to see if that position causes pain. Although imaging tests such as X-rays generally are not that helpful in diagnosing Sever's disease, some doctors order them to rule out other problems, such as fractures. Sever's disease cannot be seen on an X-ray.
Non Surgical Treatment
Podiatrists have an important role in the provision of orthotics to young sufferers of Severs? disease. Orthotics are specialised insoles designed to accommodate problems with the foot. In this particular condition?s case, orthotics are an effective way of making sure that the heel is cushioned in such a way as to reduce a child?s discomfort and alleviate some of the pressure of walking, thereby facilitating the recovery process. Young athletes can benefit from a visit to a podiatrist to learn about prevention and to have orthotics fitted to prevent Severs? disease from developing. Regular stretching to keep joints supple and loose are a great preventative measure, as is making sure that appropriately fitted and supportive shoes (often equipped with orthotics) are used to prevent future injury.
Surgical Treatment
The surgeon may select one or more of the following options to treat calcaneal apophysitis. Reduce activity. The child needs to reduce or stop any activity that causes pain. Support the heel. Temporary shoe inserts or custom orthotic devices may provide support for the heel. Medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help reduce the pain and inflammation. Physical therapy. Stretching or physical therapy modalities are sometimes used to promote healing of the inflamed issue. Immobilization. In some severe cases of pediatric heel pain, a cast may be used to promote healing while keeping the foot and ankle totally immobile. Often heel pain in children returns after it has been treated because the heel bone is still growing. Recurrence of heel pain may be a sign of calcaneal apophysitis, or it may indicate a different problem. If your child has a repeat bout of heel pain, be sure to make an appointment with your foot and ankle surgeon.
