Overview
Sever?s disease is a common cause of heel pain in children especially in the young and physically active. Severs disease is a painful bone disorder that results from inflammation (swelling) of the growth plate in the heel. A growth plate, also called an epiphyseal plate, is an area at the end of a developing bone where cartilage cells change over time into bone cells. As this occurs, the growth plates expand and unite. It is very important that damage to the growth plate is avoided.
Causes
Sever’s disease also can result from standing too long, which puts constant pressure on the heel. Poor-fitting shoes can contribute to the condition by not providing enough support or padding for the feet or by rubbing against the back of the heel. Although Sever’s disease can occur in any child, these conditions increase the chances of it happening, pronated foot (a foot that rolls in at the ankle when walking), which causes tightness and twisting of the Achilles tendon, thus increasing its pull on the heel’s growth plate, flat or high arch, which affects the angle of the heel within the foot, causing tightness and shortening of the Achilles tendon, short leg syndrome (one leg is shorter than the other), which causes the foot on the short leg to bend downward to reach the ground, pulling on the Achilles tendon, overweight or obesity, which puts weight-related pressure on the growth plate.
Symptoms
Sever?s disease is a clinical diagnosis based on the youth?s presenting symptoms, rather than on diagnostic tests. While x-rays may be ordered in the process of diagnosing the disease, they are used primarily to rule out bone fractures or other bone abnormalities, rather than to confirm the disease. Common Characteristics of Sever?s Disease include Posterior inferior heel pain. Pain is usually absent when waking in the morning. Increased pain with weight bearing, running, or jumping (or activity-related pain). Area often feels stiff or inflexible. Youth may limp at the end of physical activity. Tenderness at the insertion of the tendons. Limited ankle dorsiflexion range that is secondary to tightness of the Achilles tendon. Activity or sport practices on hard surfaces can also contribute to pain, as well as poor quality shoes, worn out shoes, or the wrong shoes for the sport. Typically, the pain from this disease gradually resolves with rest.
Diagnosis
The x-ray appearance usually shows the apophysis to be divided into multiple parts. Sometimes a series of small fragments is noted. Asymptomatic heels may also show x-ray findings of resporption, fragmentation and increased density. But they occur much less often in the normal foot. Pulling or ?traction? of the Achilles tendon on the unossified growth plate is a likely contributing factor to Sever?s disease. Excessive pronation and a tight Achilles and limited dorsiflexion may also contribute to the development of this condition.
Non Surgical Treatment
It is important that those with Sever?s Disease are treated by a medical professional to reduce pain and allow children to continue to participate in sporting activities. The Athlete?s Foot recommends a visit to your local medical professional to be diagnosed correctly and receive specialised care. Symptoms include pain through the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone, pain during activity especially running and jumping and the back of the heel may be tender to touch.
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