Sporting glories: Jimmy kicks the deciding goal for his soccer game, Katie is the star defender on her netball team, Lochie comes third in his 100m athletics final. All three kids would be proud of their achievements but instead all three kids come home in agony with sharp pain in their heel. They limp around, barely able to walk, but the next day they’re up and moving fine, happy as can be. That is until the following Saturday where they all front up to play and the heel pain returns.
Heel pain (Sever’s Disease) in children is an ongoing irritation of the growth plate, which causes tenderness around the heel. The pain often occurs in very active children as the heel becomes inflamed when additional stress or activity is applied. It commonly affects children between 9 and 15 years of age as they are still in their peek stage of development. Poor foot mechanics can also add additional stress and pain to the heel. The pain is self-resolving but it can be painful for the child as they wait for the growth plate to close across, affecting their confidence, sporting participation and daily activities.
3 home treatment tips which you can use to help ease your child’s heel pain:
- Ice after activity
- Use good quality sporting shoes and make sure your child ties and unties his/her laces properly (doesn’t just slip the foot in and out of the shoe)
- Gentle hamstring and calf stretches daily, regardless of physical activity
Children should not be experiencing ongoing pain. If pain persists please contact us for diagnosis, treatment and orthotic management as required.
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