Does Severs Disease Require Surgery Treatment?
Overview
The condition is more common in young people active in sport, and boys are more frequently affected than girls. One study found the average age of presentation was around 12 years for boys and 9 years for girls. In one prospective study of injuries among players aged 9-19 years in football academies, 2% of overall football injuries were due to Sever's disease; the peak for incidence was in the under-11 age group. In a study of 85 children, the condition was bilateral in 61%.
Causes
Children are at greatest risk of developing Sever's disease when they have reached the early part of a growth spurt in early puberty. For girls, this is typically around ages 8 to 10. For boys, it happens somewhere between the ages of 10 to 12. By the age of 15, the back of the heel has typically stopped growing in most children, and Sever's disease becomes rare. Any running or jumping activities can increase the odds that a child will develop Sever's disease. Soccer and gymnastics are two common sports that tend to put kids at risk.
Symptoms
Sever condition causes pain at the back of the heel. The pain is increased with plantar flexion of the ankle (pushing down with the foot as if stepping on the gas), particularly against resistance. Sever condition also causes tenderness and swelling in the area of the pain.
Diagnosis
Sever disease is most often diagnosed clinically, and radiographic evaluation is believed to be unnecessary by many physicians, but if a diagnosis of calcaneal apophysitis is made without obtaining radiographs, a lesion requiring more aggressive treatment could be missed. Foot radiographs are usually normal and the radiologic identification of calcaneal apophysitis without the absence of clinical information was not reliable.
Non Surgical Treatment
If your child suffers from Sever?s Disease, it is important you take him or her to see your podiatrist, as it can take some time for the condition to completely resolve. Possible treatment options for Sever?s disease may include. Rest from aggravating activities. Ice massage to reduce localised inflammation. Heel lifts placed inside the shoe to reduce the strain on the growth plate. Athletic footwear advice, poor footwear can sometimes be the major contributing factor in the development of Sever?s disease. Orthotic therapy, if your child has an abnormal foot posture that is contributing to the development of Sever?s disease, this will need to be treated with orthotic therapy. Orthotics for Sever?s disease may need to be prescription (custom-made) or non-prescription foot orthotics depending on your child?s foot posture, Exercise program, stretching exercises to improve flexibility of the leg muscles and strengthening exercises to address any foot muscle weakness or imbalance. Avoid barefoot walking, hill running and training on hard surfaces.
The condition is more common in young people active in sport, and boys are more frequently affected than girls. One study found the average age of presentation was around 12 years for boys and 9 years for girls. In one prospective study of injuries among players aged 9-19 years in football academies, 2% of overall football injuries were due to Sever's disease; the peak for incidence was in the under-11 age group. In a study of 85 children, the condition was bilateral in 61%.
Causes
Children are at greatest risk of developing Sever's disease when they have reached the early part of a growth spurt in early puberty. For girls, this is typically around ages 8 to 10. For boys, it happens somewhere between the ages of 10 to 12. By the age of 15, the back of the heel has typically stopped growing in most children, and Sever's disease becomes rare. Any running or jumping activities can increase the odds that a child will develop Sever's disease. Soccer and gymnastics are two common sports that tend to put kids at risk.
Symptoms
Sever condition causes pain at the back of the heel. The pain is increased with plantar flexion of the ankle (pushing down with the foot as if stepping on the gas), particularly against resistance. Sever condition also causes tenderness and swelling in the area of the pain.
Diagnosis
Sever disease is most often diagnosed clinically, and radiographic evaluation is believed to be unnecessary by many physicians, but if a diagnosis of calcaneal apophysitis is made without obtaining radiographs, a lesion requiring more aggressive treatment could be missed. Foot radiographs are usually normal and the radiologic identification of calcaneal apophysitis without the absence of clinical information was not reliable.
Non Surgical Treatment
If your child suffers from Sever?s Disease, it is important you take him or her to see your podiatrist, as it can take some time for the condition to completely resolve. Possible treatment options for Sever?s disease may include. Rest from aggravating activities. Ice massage to reduce localised inflammation. Heel lifts placed inside the shoe to reduce the strain on the growth plate. Athletic footwear advice, poor footwear can sometimes be the major contributing factor in the development of Sever?s disease. Orthotic therapy, if your child has an abnormal foot posture that is contributing to the development of Sever?s disease, this will need to be treated with orthotic therapy. Orthotics for Sever?s disease may need to be prescription (custom-made) or non-prescription foot orthotics depending on your child?s foot posture, Exercise program, stretching exercises to improve flexibility of the leg muscles and strengthening exercises to address any foot muscle weakness or imbalance. Avoid barefoot walking, hill running and training on hard surfaces.
