10-year-old athlete Tom Seager didn’t understand why he suddenly had sore calves and heels one day. He participated in a lot of sports, but he hadn’t injured himself and he was healthy otherwise.
His parents took him to a doctor and he was informed that he had Sever’s disease, a condition that afflicts athletic prepubescent children sometimes. Research shows that this disease is becoming more and more common as children in our society become more athletic. Tom made a full recovery rather quickly.
There aren’t any serious medical complications associated with Sever’s disease, but can still be annoying and painful. If you think your child may be suffering from Sever’s disease, visit a podiatrist like Dr. Zahid Ladha, F.A.C.F.A.S. of Foot First Podiatry . Dr. Ladah will take a look at your child’s foot and see if any further treatment is needed.
Sever’s Disease
Sever’s disease is also known as calcaneal apophysitis, which is a medical condition that causes heel pain I none or both feet. The disease is known to affect children between the ages of 8 and 14.
Sever’s disease occurs when part of the child’s heel known as the growth plate (calcaneal epiphysis) is attached to the Achilles tendon. This area can suffer injury when the muscles and tendons of the growing foot do not keep pace with bone growth. Therefore, the constant pain which one experiences at the back of the heel will make the child unable to put any weight on the heel. The child is then forced to walk on their toes.
Toe gait- develops in which the child must change the way they walk to avoid placing weight on the heel. This can lead to other problems as well in the future.
Symptoms
Acute pain – pain asscoiatied with Sever’s disease is usually felt in the heel when the child engages in physical activity such as walking, jumping and or running.
Highly active – children who are very active are among the most susceptible in experiencing Sever’s disease, because of the stress and tension placed on their feet.
Improper pronation – the rolling of the foot during walking or running and obesity are all linked to causing Sever’s disease.
For more information about Sever’s Disease, follow the link below.
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