How to Treat Sever's Disease
Sever's disease is a common cause of heel pain in children. In early puberty, the bones of the foot often grow faster than the muscles and tendons, making the tendons tight and the heel less flexible. In physically active children, this can produce varying degrees of pain in one or both heels. In most cases, Sever's disease can be effectively treated at home without medical intervention.
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Instructions
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Apply Home Treatment
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Adjust the level of physical activity as the pain allows. Don't stop all activities but do limit the amount of weight-bearing activity according to the severity of the symptoms.
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Protect your feet by wearing comfortable shoes all the time. With Sever's disease, even slight impact on the heel causes pain. Avoid going barefoot.
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Apply ice to the affected heel for 20 to 25 minutes, two to three times per day. Real ice is preferable to reusable ice packs, which can cause frostbite or caustic contact with the skin.
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Place heel cups, or orthotics, in the soles of your shoes. Heel cups are soft cushioning gel-filled pads that raise your foot to reduce the pull of the muscles on the growth plate of the foot. The heel cup also increases the shock absorption of impact on the foot.
Stretch Your Muscles
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Strengthen your shin muscles using a foot curling exercise. Sit on the floor with your leg straight. Hook one end of a bungee cord to a table leg and the other to your toes. Move back to stretch the cord. Bend the foot forward toward the body, then slowly point back in the opposite direction. Do 15 repetitions for each leg, two to three times a day.
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Stretch your calf muscles and your Achilles tendon. Lean your forearms against a solid support. Stretch your right leg behind you. Keep it straight, with your heel on the ground and your toe pointed. Bend the left leg in front of you, keeping the heel flat. Make sure your back is straight. Move your hips forward. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat five times. Reverse position and stretch the other leg. Perform this exercise two or three times a day.
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Extend the arch of your foot. Place your big toe against a wall 2 to 3 inches above the floor. Slowly slide your foot to the floor. Repeat several times.
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Tips & Warnings
Orthotics are generally sold at athletic footwear stores or pharmacies.
It is best to have a doctor diagnosis Sever's disease, as there are several unlikely, but still possible, alternative diagnoses for heel and foot pain in children.
