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Severs disease?

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Nov 7, 2010.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    Hi I wonder if anyone could help.

    My son has suffered sever heel pain (mainly in left heel) for around 4 years now (very badly fr the last year) He has been under a specialist for this time, and been in and out of walking casts for this time also (around 9 casts over the past year) The pain does not get better, it eases while in cast ut when out it's unbearable, it's drastically interfering with his life now, he's missing huge chunks of school which isn't good as he's year 10 and in a very important year. He's in agony walking around school.
    I took him to a&e out of desperation last week as we couldn't get in with the specialist till december 21st, they put it in noneweight bearing cast with crutches and this a past week has been the only time he's been completely pain free. The specialist always makes him walk on it.
    We have finally got an appt with the specialist on Monday and I think he's seeing about getting him a removable cast but I assume that will be weight baring (I don't understand why he makes my son walk on his foot when complete rest makes the pain go away??)

    As a mother I am wore down with seeing my son in pain, I'm at my witts end with this now and I feel no progress is ever being made.
    Does this sound like severs disease? he's only had 1 xray in the whole year we've been under the specialist

    My son is 14 btw
    Thanks in advance
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************
    Although Sever's disease is certainly a very common cause of heel pain in an active young boy, you have offered nothing in your post which would specifically define it as such to the exclusion of other problems which can cause heel pain. Neither have you mentioned any specific diagnosis having been offered for this child who ostensibly has been under treatment for this complaint for 10 years. The common characteristic of Sever's is pain at the posterior of the heel in the area enclosed by the counter of the shoe, especially precipitated by running and jumping. Pinching the posterior of the heel, just inferior to the Achilles attachment generally elicits substantial pain. X-rays may be of limited diagnostic value. If he is going to see a specialist in a day or so, then why not rely on that examination? Sever's, if that's what it is, is self-limiting to the age when the calcaneal apophysis closes.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    He's been suffering with it about 4 years not 10.
    The specialist xrayed and examined it when we first saw him a year ago and he gave the diagnosis severs disease, since then everytime we go see him he just puts it in cast for 3 weeks and nothing else, he told me he won't xray it again
     
  4. Foot Doc

    Foot Doc Guest

    But your bottom-line question asked if what he has sounds like Sever's, and you still have offered absolutely no information which might rule that in or out. So MY bottom-line answer is, "I don't know."

    FOOT DOC
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I'm not a doctor and I don't know the technical terms, I'm just a simple layman and all I can tell you is what symptoms my son has and what the specialist has done. I honestly don't know what you would like me to say :-/

    Thank you for your time anyway.

    EDIT; Symptoms... chronic, severe heel pain when applying pressure when walking or to the touch, no pain in any other joints or anywhere else. We've used gel insoles but they don't help, he never walks around bare foot and can't do any physical activity as he can barely walk.

    There isn't much else I can add...
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2010
  6. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    We would very much like to help anyway possible but we would need more info such as:

    Age
    Current Weight
    Medical History (current/past Diseases)
    Past Surgery
    Any Current medication
    Ethnicity
    Growth Spurts
    Pre-pain sport participation
    Generalised flexibility

    to name but a few. It sounds strange but this does help alot. Also no information that would lead to patient identification because of patient confidentiality. So give what information you can and well see if it helps. Also Gel insoles/inserts/heel cups vary hugely so a picture if possible of them could help.

    Hope this helps
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Oh thank you very much!

    Well... my son is white/British
    14 years old
    5ft 1"
    not very active sports wise (never has been)
    no current past diseases
    no current meds
    He is growing slowly/ no growth spurts for a while
    Obv not very active at the moment due to the pain.

    I can't see where to post a picture but the insole were half insoles, clear gel with a blue circle on the heel part. He was given these by an othotist (sp)

    I'm sorry I didn't give the relevant info before, I didn't know what info you required.
    Thank you.
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Anyone??????
     
  9. Foot Doc

    Foot Doc Guest

    The post to which you last responded was not mine. I didn't find the points asked by that poster to be terribly germane to your question as to whether your child's case sounds like Sever's. If I were going to describe the typical Sever's I would state the following:
    1. Pain on the posterior of the heel, just inferior to the insertion of the Achilles tendon
    2. Pain especially after running and jumping
    3. Especially painful when posterior of the heel is squeezed.
    4. Pronounced swelling and local heat generally absent.
    5. Pain more pronounced when wearing shoe without a heel
    6. Generally relieved with extensive period of rest and lack of running or jumping.
    7. Pain often returns after return to activity.
    8. Apophysis may show fragmentation on x-ray, but x-rays are a poor basis for a definitive diagnosis.

    If all of the above are the case, then it does SOUND like Sever's. But that is not to say that it is the exclusive diagnosis. I do not know what else you want.

    FOOT DOC
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    What I wanted to know is is it normal to seriously infringe on a childs life the way it is with my son, is it normal for it to last for years like it is doing with my son?

    Everywhere I look on the net for advice it says severs last weeks and is usually alleviated with casting (worse case scenario) well my son has been in and out of cast for over a year now and the pain does stop while in cast but returns when walking again.

    Everything you've describe sounds like what my son is experiencing but I'm worried about the time it is going on.

    I came on this forum for some advice and you seem like I'm annoying you. Like I said before I'm not a doctor and I don't know the medical terms to tell you whats going on. I'm just a mother desperate for this pain to ease.
    I'm sorry if I'm just another person with silly questions but I thought that was what this forum was for? Correct me if I'm wrong.
    Sorry to take up anyones time.
     
  11. Foot Doc

    Foot Doc Guest

    You asked if your child's condition sounds like Sever's. I told you that you had not given a sufficient description to be able for me to tell. Your reply didn't help me much, so I listed the salient features of Sever's so that you could compare them to your child's symptoms and perhaps answer you own question. I have no idea as to why after all this you seem to be complaining about my efforts. Why don't you instead complain to your doctor who actually has responsibility to you about his/her not helping your son instead of seemingly expressing disdain for someone who tried to answer your question? I wasn't annoyed before, but I am now.

    FOOT DOC
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2010
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi, my daughter has been suffering for 3 years. We have moved from the cast to what they call Fracture boots. They seem to stableize her feet better, but the pain is still severe. Also in the fracture boots you are not able to walk so well if both feet are involved.
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    To the expert: I do hope you aren't a doctor that actually sees patients - your attitude to this woman, clearly despairing of getting good advice, truly shocked me. Your education does not entitle you to treat everybody else like an idiot. Your questions, to a lay person, were not clear and were snappy and rude. I'm an outsider to the conversation, I don't know either of you, but I know rudeness when I see it. Your bedside manner needs some serious work.

    To the frustrated Mum: My son has been diagnosed with severs but he is /was an extremely active sporty child and he's 12, which I understand is towards the upper end of the age spectrum - his physio tells me they usually present during primary school. We're getting nowhere with his treatment and it's very frustrating for him as he's a competative fencer and a rugby player - he's about to be cast for the first time to see if enforced rest will help. His pain is very specific, at the back of his heels, slightly to the inside of his feet

    My son also suffered with Plantar Faciiitis prior to the onset of severs. Orthotics solved that problem swiftly. I think you have to rely on the professional advice that's been given, use pain relief gels, encourage your son to exercise in ways that don't hurt his feet ( my son finds he can cycle at the gym without pain as it's non weight bearing). Carrying extra weight won't help your son and exercise generally lifts the spirits. For the record, despite being very sporty, my son is also overweight - it's just one of those things for some children - they can do all the right things but just love their food a little too much!

    Good luck and take heart that he will grow out of it eventually and at 14, that may not be too far away.
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Let me just tell you the servers disease is never going to go away. I have had it for 7 years now and I still have it today although I don't have any pain anymore. That's the point of severs disease its not going to go away but you can make the pain go away with the right median the right stretches.
     
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