OT: Anyone have experience with Sever's Disease? (inflamed growth plates)

[moopdog]

Long:
My DS10, started having severe foot pain in his rt foot just following football season in November. We took him to the foot dr (on our pediatricians referral) who did xrays and diagnosed Sever's Disease which he explained is a severe chronic inflamation of his growth plates in his heels. He gave him motrin for 7 days (yikes!) and inserts for his shoes. The problem went away (& football ended). BTW - He also said it would go away completely when his body was done growing.

Now he's been picked for the traveling bball team and he really wants to play badly, but after 3 rigorous practices, he couldn't walk and had to miss school, limped around, etc. (left foot this time). Dr. examined him and said he needs the $300 inserts now and that he will be fine once he gets them in two weeks. Are inserts really going to help?! This is strange to me.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and what your experiences have been. I hate to see my son do any damage to his body for the sake of sports. Yet.... (this is a big yet) I feel so bad when he LOVES and lives for his two sports - baskbetball and football. He has waited all year and has gotten picked for a team that he's not even old enough to play on yet but was invited anyway. He was so thrilled by that, and now I'm not sure he should be playing even after his inserts are ready.

Keep in mind that when he plays sports, it does so much for my son mentally (he has some emotional issues due to tourette syndrome) and athletics is his only real outlet. This is why I'm am so concerned about this diagnosis and really would like to know more. Thanks!

 

[taximomfor4]

My 12yo dd is the root of all my Severs experience. Our podiatrist also specializes in sports, so he's a perfect fit for my dancing daughters.

We caught dd's Severs after she had cracks in her bones. lots of them. OOPS! I felt awful for her.

Anyway, the podiatrist made inserts (orthotics) for dd's daily wear. Specifically, because she pronates & has flat feet. He said correcting any gait issues COULD help. He also carefully and thoroughly taught her some stretching exercises. She is good about doing them at the first twinge of a new flare-up, but is SUPPOSED to do them to PREVENT a new flare-up.

If your podiatrist is not giving stretches to do, look into getting a PT assessment. Much of the Severs pain seems to be from tight muscles in the backs of the legs, etc.

 

[Psychodisney]

All of my active kids have had it. Before you drop the $300 on custom orthotics( which he will out grow soon), try heel lifts. I am a PT and this is what I use for my patients with excellent results. You can order them on www.hapad.com. You want to order the 3/4 length heel lift. Measure the inside width of his shoe to decide if you want the 2 1/2 or 3" width, and order either the 3/8 or 7/16" height. You stick them in his athletic shoe(basketball shoe, cleats or whatever) and you could also put a pair in his everyday shoe to help calm things down. They will also send you a pamphlet with some stretches for the calf.
He should feel relief pretty quickly for about $20. This is a common diagnosis for kids playing sports on hard surfaces(soccer, football, baseball, basketball, etc.) The tension on the heel when running on the hard surface causes the inflammation.

Good Luck!

 

[clutter]

My dd had it on and off for a few years. When it flaired up, it was "two weeks no running, no jumping." Worked every time.

 

[RED23]

My DS suffered with this from 4th-6th grade.
The orthotics helped a little, but once he started physical therapy he started doing so much better.
They showed him stretches to do before he played basketball and it REALLY helped him.
My insurance covered 1 pair of orthotics a year.
He initially had to rest his foot for 2 weeks in either a soft cast or a wrap, then he started the PT.
He is in the 8th grade now and just wears regular sneakers or cleats for sports.
I would talk to your podiatrist about seeing a PT.

Red

 

[woodkins]

DD8 has Severs disease. Her achilles are really really tight to the point that she had limited range of motion and couldn't put her foot completely flat...very painful. PT was the best treatment for her. Lots of stretching and changing her gait as well. They did suggest orthotics but not at the point where she is right now. She does wear silicone heel cups and also has to wear AFO braces on both of her feet at night for a slow prolonged stretch of her muscles.