Pain in the rearfoot of kids isn't very common, however when it does occur, the most common cause is a condition known as Severs disease. It's not a real “disease”, but it's the label that has regrettably stuck. It is appropriately known as calcaneal apophysitis. It is a problem with the growing region at the rear of the heel bone. As it is a problem, of the growing bone, the problem is self-limiting and will not be a concern once the growth of that bone has finished. It is more prevalent around the age groups of 10-12 years.
The typical characteristic of Severs disease is pain on activity and pain on squeezing the sides of the rear part of the heel. At first the soreness is minor and does not impact action much, however later it becomes more severe and affects exercise levels and might result in limping. The exact cause of it is not known, but it is obviously an overuse type problem as it is more prevalent in children who play more sport and more frequent in kids who have got a higher bodyweight. Those with tighter calf muscles may also be at a higher risk for the development of this disorder.
Usually, the treatment of Severs disease is load management. The child is urged to remain active, but just reduce activity levels to a level which can be coped with and not too uncomfortable. A cushioning heel pad in the footwear might be useful to cushion it. Ice after sport might also be useful to help the inflammation. If the calf muscles are tight, then a stretching program ought to be started. Sometimes foot orthotics can be helpful when the arch of the foot is lower. On rare occasions a splint may be used, and all activities ceased until it heals. By the mid-teens the growth plate that this occurs at merges with the rest of the heel bone, and this ceases to be a problem at those age groups.
