Sever’s Disease / Calcaneal Apophysitis
Information
Sever’s disease also known as calcaneal apophysitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain in growing children and adolescents. It is a painful inflammation of the calcaneal apophysis (growth plate) at the posterior aspect of the heel. Commonly it affects children between the ages of 8 and 14 years old, and can correlate with episodes of growth spurts. It typically presents in active young children and adolescents, especially those who participate in high impact sport and multi-directional physical activity such as football, hockey and running and barefoot activities such as gymnastics and trampolining. It is thought to be caused by repetitive microtrauma from the pull of the Achilles tendon on the ossifying growth plate.
Who to refer:
Children with posterior heel pain suspected to be Sever’s Disease /Calcaneal Apophysitis if self-management measures have failed.
Who not to refer:
Patients who are undergoing ongoing management for this condition with another service.
Provide Sever’s self-management leaflet and if no improvement after 6 weeks refer or advise patient to self-refer.
For Patients
NHS Lothian Podiatry Patient Information Leaflet: Sever’s Disease self-management guide (nhslothian.scot)
For Health Professionals
