Heel pain in children

Heel pain is a very common occurrence whose causes much differ from the causes of heel pain in adults.

Why does the heel pain in children take place?

The likeliest cause of the pain in the heels in children is the problem with the growth plate in the heel bone. This condition is also called Sever’s disease and it manifests itself in the growth plate area in the form of inflammation, swelling, soreness and pain. The interesting thing about it is that sometimes it isn’t even caused by anything, such as an injury or excessive exercise, however, it can be a result of some sort of built up stress.

Even though the experience of the inflammation of the growth plate area can be pretty uncomfortable, it isn’t very serious and it doesn’t disrupt any of the processes of the body, not even the growth process in the plate area itself. After a while, the condition just retreats with no consequences.

What are the symptoms of the heel pain in children?

The pain in the heel that’s associated to the growth plate area is pretty much located in the back bottom part of the heel. It can be pretty sharp with the tendency to shoot upwards from time to time, but the most irritating thing about it is that it completely disrupts the walking process, not to mention running and jumping. Even standing is a difficult thing to do. Then come the already mentioned symptoms of irritation and swelling, but they are really not as visible as one would expect.

What are the possible consequences of the condition?

While the pain does not make it impossible to participate in some kind of physical activity, as, it is rarely so strong that it can’t be ignored, but the thing is that by being active, one will prolong the condition considerably.

An extremely unlikely complication in the growth plate area is for the heel bone to be fractured, but it’s important to emphasize that it can, indeed, happen, usually as a result of a fall from a somewhat high surface.

How is the condition in question treated?

The best way to deal with this condition is by making sure to be in the state of complete rest and relaxation. The patient should remain in this condition until the inflammation subsides and as for the pain, the doctor usually prescribes the painkillers for a while.