Heel pain in children
There are many possible causes of heel pain in children. Sever's disease, also known as calcaneal apophysitis, is a common cause. This condition commonly occurs in children aged between 10 and 14, and is characterised by pain in one or both heels. This is caused by repetitive damage and inflammation of growth plates of the heel bone (calcaneus). 60% of patients have both heels involved. The condition is believed to be the result of a mismatch in growth of the calf bone (tibia) to the calf muscle and achilles tendon (the tendon which joins the calf muscle to the heel bone). It is thought that the calf bone grows more quickly than the muscle and achilles tendon and so this soft tissue becomes uncomfortably tight. This places more stress on…