Heel Pain (Sever’s)
Sever’s disease is a bony pain that is felt in your heel that can be associated with normal growth.
Symptoms and diagnosis
How to manage it
Will it get better?
Symptoms and diagnosis
- Pain on the back or bottom of your heel
- Pain during or after sport or activity in your heel
- Symptoms usually appear around puberty (9-14 years) when you are having a growth spurt. Usually only one heel is painful but both can be affected.
How to manage it
- Use strategies to reduce pain
- Improve tissue flexibility/ length
- Modify activity
Will it get better?
Your pain may improve within a few months if you follow this advice. However in some cases, symptoms can last for 12-18 months.
However, you will grow out of it! Once your bones have stopped growing, you won’t have any more symptoms.
Try using gel heel cups in your shoes. These can help reduce the impact on your heels during activity.
Exercises
Hamstring stretch: Rest your feet flat against a wall. Reach your hands forwards to touch your toes in a comfortable position. Feel the stretch in the back of your calf
Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then release the stretch and repeat 3 more times.
This pain is caused when there is repetitive traction where the calf muscle inserts into your heel.
This traction can be due to active (increased exercise and activity) or passive (increased rate of growth) causes.
If you have any concerns or queries about your child’s recovery please contact Dolphin Outpatients on 02921 847577.
If you child does not have an appointment arranged with physio and symptoms continue or are not improving gradually, then you can self-refer your child to the Paediatric physiotherapy outpatient department by telephoning our referral line on 02921836908.
If you have a problem which does not improve as you would expect with self-care, you should contact a healthcare professional for advice. This may be your GP, Pharmacist, NHS Podiatry Service or a Private Podiatrist.
Please make sure your podiatrist is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and look out for the letters HCPC after their name.
