Sever’s disease is the inflammation of tissues around the heel caused by injury to the growth plate of the heel. Sever’s disease mainly occurs in children of growing age whose heels are not fully developed. The heel bone in children grows faster than the muscles and tendons around it. As a result, the tendons and muscles stretch causing mild pain. Overstretching of these tendons and muscles due to physical activities or injury results to inflammation of the growth plate, the growing part of the heel. Here are some common symptoms of sever’s disease in children.
Stiffness in The Feet
Sever’s disease affects the entire region around the heel. In some cases, internal swelling occurs leading to stiffness around the heel and ankles. This restricts movement and a child might experience stiffness when moving the affected foot. The stiffness mostly occurs in the morning when one wakes up.
Swelling and Redness of The Heel
When the growth plate of the heel is damaged, the tissue around this region is likely to swell. When ignored, the swelling becomes persistent, making it hard for the child to move around.
Other symptoms include limping or walking on tiptoes. This is as a result of severe pain felt when pressure is exerted on the heel. Sever’s disease can also be confirmed when one squeezes the heel on both sides. If the tissues inside the heel are damaged, squeezing on both sides triggers pain.
Sever’s disease caused discomfort in children. This reduces their physical activity, which is essential in their mental and physical growth. Therefore, caregivers should find solutions for this condition immediately when they discover any of the symptoms. Here are some treatment procedures for this condition.
Resting and Simple Exercises
Sever’s disease occurs as a result of wearing and tearing of the tissues around the growth plate of the heel. Once this happens, the child should engage in minimal physical activities to allow the torn and worn out tissues to recover. Simple exercises help the tissues to regain toughness during the recovery process. After physical activities, ice packs should be placed at the affected heel to reduce swelling. Stretching before and after exercises enhances the rate at which the heel recovers.
Heel Pain Products
When a child suffers from sever’s disease, parents can purchase different heel pain products to help reduce the pain and speed up recovery. Heel pain products include heel cups and sever’s disease sleeves. Heel cups are worn over the heel to reduce the impact of body weight on the heels. Heel sleeves are worn over the heel to minimize movement for a speedy recovery. Other heel pain products include specially designed insoles and heel bands.
Medical Treatments
There are several medical procedures used in sever’s disease treatment. A patient might undergo surgery to correct the damage done to the growth plate of the heel bone. Surgeries are preferred when the tissues around the heel or the growth plate are extensively damaged. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naproxen can be used to relieve pain as the heel recovers.
The choice of treatment procedures depends on factors such as urgency and cost of treatment. However, one should consult a medical expert before undertaking any treatment. Consultations eliminate the risk of further injury to the affected heel.