Growth plates in children’s bones are at risk of injuries because they are relatively weak and, in many cases, have ligaments or tendons attached nearby. Though some growth plates make bones grow longer, others give the bones unique shapes allowing them to do their jobs.

In the heel, the big tendon from the calf muscle, called the Achilles tendon, attaches to the back of the heel onto the calcaneus bone. In very young children, the bone is not yet grown, so the tendon is actually held onto the foot by the cartilage in the growth plate. Eventually, the bone grows, the growth plate closes, and there is a solid connection for the tendon.

Many children naturally become more involved in sports around 8-12 years old. When a young athlete runs or jumps, the Achilles tendon pulls repeatedly on the cartilage in the heel, causing it to become sore. For patients like Amelia, this can be painful. The impact on the ground with running and jumping can also cause this area to be irritated. Pain and inflammation in the growth plate of the heel is known as Sever’s Disease or calcaneal apophysitis. Symptoms may come and go for 1-2 years while a young athlete is growing quickly in the heel bone.

Shane M. Miller, M.D., tells us that it is safe to play sports as long as the athlete is not limping or complaining of significant pain, and that symptoms should improve with rest and ice, which allows these tissues to recover from the injury. Changing shoes or adding cushioned heel cups may be recommended. Other treatments are available and should be considered on an individual basis.

Here are some situations that increase a child’s risk of Sever’s Disease:

• Year-round sports participation
• Sudden increase in training intensity
• Tournaments and summer camps
• Running and jumping excessively
• Sports that involve wearing cleats (such as baseball or soccer)
• Going barefoot, or participating in barefoot sports (such as gymnastics)

Learn more about overuse injuries and pediatric sports medicine.

Young athletes are working hard to jump higher and run faster. Though strengthening and training programs can be very effective in improving performance, it might be time to get back to the basics of having fun. Did you know playing tag can improve agility, reaction time and hand-eye coordination? What if we went back in time and reminded our youth to get outside and goof off? Parents of young children recall the days of playing games like “kick the can” and “hide and seek” with neighborhood friends. We can all agree we’ve gotten away from that and need to make an attempt to go back. We’ve traded all of this free play for organized activities with complicated training and competition schedules. Sometimes, kids are even developing overuse injuries from too many practices or too much too soon. Dr. Shane Miller, sports medicine pediatrician, encourages today’s youth to find the balance in participating in both organized sports and free play. After all, a few good games of tag in the evenings just might be the ticket to a faster speed on the basketball court. Or, maybe, teaching dad some fancy footwork with a soccer ball in the yard might help that football player to be a little quicker on his feet.