It is not uncommon for active children aged between 8-15 years to experience heel pain. Unfortunately, this is particularly common at the moment. A lack of organised sport in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be a significant contributing factor. Most kids remained active, but with the resumption of organised sport, their activity level has recently doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. This is great for so many reasons, but the significant increase can overload certain parts of developing bodies, particularly after a more restful year.
Irritation of the growth plate at the back of the heel is the most common cause of heel pain in children. There are several proposed mechanisms of injury, but we aren't 100% sure what's going on under the surface. There is probably an inflammatory component to this problem, but let's just call it a grumpy growth plate.
Sports that involve running and jumping can increase the risk of developing this problem. Children may complain of pain during activity, after activity or both, but the pain usually resolves by the following day. In more severe cases, the pain may cause a child to limp. One or both feet may be affected.
The good news is that this is a self-limiting injury, which means it will eventually resolve. This will probably happen when the growth plate fuses. As we don't know precisely when this will happen, it's essential to understand the condition and what you can do to help your child stay comfortable before it stops them from doing what they love.
We have developed the handout below to help you with this, which you can also share with other people that have kids experiencing heel pain.
If the pain doesn't settle down within a couple of weeks, contact us or book online. Your child's experienced podiatrist will confirm the diagnosis and explain the many ways we can help your child get back to what they love doing pain-free.
Author: Shaun Bergin