Heel pain commonly occurs in young children due to their activity levels and not having a fully developed musculoskeletal structure.
Causes
The cause of heel pain is often multifactorial. The factors that can contribute to the development of heel pain include:
- Overuse
- Tight muscles/tendons in the legs
- Gait abnormalities (overpronation or oversupination)
- Ill-fitting, unsupportive or worn out shoes
- Wearing inappropriate footwear (e.g. not wearing the right type of football boots with relevant studs on various football surfaces)
- Sudden increase in activity levels
- Lack of appropriate training or conditioning for sports
- Injury to the heel
- Obesity
These are the conditions commonly associated with heel pain:
| Location |
Conditions |
Signs and Symptoms |
| Pain below the heel |
Plantar Fasciitis with or without heel spur
- Inflammation of the fibrous band of tissue which spans from the bottom of the heel to the ball of the foot due to an overuse
- Heel spurs are calcium deposits that forms from tension and inflammation
|
- Pain worse in first few steps in the morning
- Pain progresses with prolong activity
- Pain occurs when standing up after sitting for a period of time
- Pain may be described to be sharp or an ache
|
| Pain behind the heel |
Insertional Achilles tendonitis
- Inflammation at the Achilles tendon insertion site
|
- Sharp or aching pains at the back of the heel
- Pain occurs after prolonged activity
- Tenderness and stiffness of the Achilles in the mornings
- Reduced range of motion in ankle joint
|
Sever’s Disease
- Also known as calcaneal apophysitis
- Inflammation of the growth plate
- Common among children who are active, 8-14 years of age
|
- Pain and tenderness behind the heel bone
- Sore to touch
- Pain worse with activity
- Pain goes away with rest
|
It is important to treat heel pain in children early to prevent worsening of symptoms or further injury.
How can a Podiatrist help?
Women and Children Centre can offer a comprehensive, non-invasive treatment for heel pain. Depending on our podiatrists’ clinical assessment of your child’s condition, we can apply various treatment modalities to manage heel pain. Dedicated to helping patients recover, our podiatrists will also take time to educate patients and parents on the cause of their symptoms and how to manage and prevent progression or recurrence.
- Our podiatrists are highly experienced and we will derive an accurate diagnosis and treat accordingly. Dynamic and static assessments will include:
- Hip examination
- Knee examination
- Ankle and foot examination
- Standing and gait analysis
- Footwear analysis and advice
- Depending on the findings, the podiatrist will be able to construct a treatment plan, which will vary according to each child and it may require several months for the symptoms to be completely resolved. Treatment may include the application of shockwave therapy, manual therapy, sports taping, foot orthoses, heel raises, footwear changes, or exercises and modification of activity.
Let our podiatrists help relieve your child’s heel pain!
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