Boys and girls who participate in sports are often at risk for developing injuries due to overuse. Overuse injuries specifically occur most commonly due to sudden changes in intensity or in training routines. In particular, teenagers who play soccer professionally are often put through only a few evening training sessions a week in addition to weekend games before having to adapt to the twice-daily training routine of full-time professional players. The most common adolescent soccer injuries include Sever’s Disease, which affects the area of the insertion of the Achilles tendon on the heel bone, Osgood Schlatter’s Disease, Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, and stress fractures.
Growing children are prone to acquiring Sever’s disease. If your child is suffering from heel pain, see podiatrist Dr. Jeff Wachtel, D.P.M., of Wachtel Family Foot Care. Dr. Wachtel will attend to all of your foot and ankle needs.
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.
If you have any questions, please contact our office located in Lansdale, PA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.
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