Causes of Heel Pain in Children
Heel Pain in Kids
In another month childrens sports will be gearing up for another big year. Soccer is in full force. Kids 10-13 especially, since they are growing the most rapidly are prone to heel pain from over use at a higher rate than others. Heel pain in children though is avoidable.
Heel pain is common among all ages, including kids.
Common causes of heel pain in kids include:
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Plantar fasciitis – An overuse syndrome, aggravated by running and other activities, affecting the tendon-like connective tissue along the bottom of the foot where it inserts into the heel.
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Severe’s disease – The most common cause of heel pain in children. It’s not a true disease, but rather calcaneal apophysitis or inflammation of the growth plate in children before they reach skeletal maturity. Pain is located more toward the back of the heel, but inside the bone.
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Calcaneus fracture – Not very common unless the kids run marathons or are in car accidents. Can be caused by jumping off a wall, steps or ladder. Must be treated.
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Achilles tendinitis – Back of the heel pain caused by excessive activity.
If your child has heel pain when walking or playing sports, it’s important not to ignore it. There are plenty of non painful, noninvasive treatmnets that can make a big difference in both your child’s comfort and athletic performance.
How can heel pain in children be prevented?
There are several steps that can help you prevent heel pain in your kids, and here are some of them:
- Wearing Proper Footwear
Wearing a footwear that provides enough cushioning, fits well and is breathable especially during heavy activities and sports are great for your kid’s feet.
- Avoid Overuse
Limit heavy impact activities that put stress on their feet, these activities can include running and jumping. Encourage them to spend more time with other low impact activities, since they will still be a part of good exercise and will prevent chances of developing conditions like Plantar fasciitis.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight puts a lot of pressure on legs, which is why it’s hard for them to run or engage in many activities. But at the same time, it puts a lot of pressure on feet too, which is why excess weight is a common cause of plantar fasciitis. If your kids are overweight, it will be a great idea to advice them to exercise and maintain a healthy weight. It will prevent them from many other health problems as well.
- Warm up
Stretching exercises are essential before engaging in any physical activity, as it allows your body to get ready for much more strenuous movement.
How long does it typically take for heel pain to resolve in children?
This mostly depends on the source of pain, for example if your kid was suffering from Plantar fasciitis then the pain should resolve in few weeks to months with proper treatment. Overuse injuries can take few weeks and a proper rest while pain caused by infection mostly depends on the type of medications or treatment used. However, just remember with proper rest and medications, they will be fine just make sure to avoid strenuous activities.
Luckily there is help for all of these conditions and can be treated often with a single office visit.
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