Heel Pain In Children: Growing Pains Or Something Else?

Although children can suffer many of the same foot problems that adults do, physical growth spurts may contribute to your child's heel pain. As bones and muscles in the legs and feet grow, the changes that occur can make your child more prone to foot pain, particularly in the area where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone.

What are growing pains?

Growing pains are common throughout childhood and adolescence. The pain often is due to muscle or tendon strain when a bone grows faster than muscle during a growth spurt. Usually mild in nature, the pain normally occurs at the end of the day or at night following a day of physical activity – often a sports activity.

1. Sever's disease

Pain also can occur at the back of the heel where bone growth occurs. A condition known as calcaneal apophysitis, or Sever's disease, can cause heel pain if a child's physical activity puts repeated stress on the Achilles tendon, which is attached to the growth plate at the end of the heel bone.

Tight leg muscles and tendons that become overstretched put pressure on the growth plate in the heel. Although Sever's disease isn't a permanent condition, putting pressure on the heel can make it painful to walk. Other symptoms of Sever's disease include tenderness in one or both heels, swelling, and stiff feet.

Treatment generally involves rest and avoiding physical activities that put pressure on the heel. Along with relieving pressure on the heel bone, elevating the heel, applying ice, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and using an elastic heel wrap can help decrease pain and reduce swelling. Performing stretching and strengthening exercises for the foot and leg muscles may help speed recovery.

Children between the ages of 8 and 14 can suffer Sever's disease. Normally, by age 15, the bone at the back of the heel has finished growing and what were once cartilage cells have become bone cells and hardened into mature bones.

2. Achilles tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is another condition that children can experience during growth spurts. When calf muscles tighten, physical activities, especially sports that involve running and jumping, put added strain on the Achilles tendon. The tendon swells and the area is painful to the touch and hurts during activities that put pressure on the heel.

Children and adolescents who play sports that put excessive and repeated stress on their feet are more susceptible to overuse injuries, including the Achilles tendon becoming swollen and irritated. Unlike adults who often injure tendons and ligaments before bones, children whose growth plates haven't yet finished closing can suffer injury to the plates.

Pain may be mild at first, presenting as an ache above the heel following physical activity. The affected heel also may be stiff in the morning and tender to the touch. Gradually, the pain gets worse and may cause leg weakness. Treatment for Achilles tendinitis is similar to the treatment regimen for Sever's disease, which focuses on relieving stress on the heel. To learn more, speak with a business like Family Foot Center Podiatry Group Inc.