Heel pain in children commonly known as Sever's disease, is a painful condition affecting the growth plate in the heel bone of children and adolescents. It occurs during periods of rapid growth and high levels of physical activity. Traditional treatments for Sever’s disease have focused on rest, anti-inflammatories, stretching, orthotic devices, and physical therapy. However, recently, shockwave therapy has emerged as an effective treatment option allowing kids to get back to their activities quickly with little to no downtime.
Understanding Heel Pain in Children
Sever’s disease is characterized by inflammation and irritation of the growth plate in the back of the heel bone. Kids often complain of heel pain during weight-bearing activities like walking, running, or jumping. The pain may be localized to the back or bottom of the heel and is made worse by physical activity. Children who are active in sports that involve repetitive impact on the heels, such as soccer, basketball, or gymnastics, are particularly prone to developing heel pain.
Shockwave Therapy: How Does It Work?
Shockwave therapy, also known as radial shockwave therapy, is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body's natural healing processes. During a shockwave therapy session, these acoustic waves are focused on the heel bone. The treatment is loud but is not painful and well tolerated. The waves create microtrauma triggering an inflammatory response and tissue regeneration. This process helps to accelerate healing and reduce pain in conditions like calcaneal apophysitis.
Why Shockwave Therapy is Effective for Heel Pain in Children:
Non-Invasive: Shockwave therapy is non-surgical and does not require incisions or anesthesia, making it a safe and low-risk option for children and adolescents. Kids tolerate the treatment very well. Kids are often excited to have the 2nd treatment because they are already starting to feel better.
Targeted Pain Relief: By directly targeting the affected area with acoustic waves, shockwave therapy provides localized pain relief and quickly promotes healing. Children notice pain relief usually after the first visit.
Stimulates Healing: The microtrauma induced by shockwave therapy stimulates the body's natural healing mechanisms, leading to tissue regeneration, increased blood flow, and reduced inflammation. There is no need to take ibuprofen during the treatment.
No Downtime: Shockwave therapy sessions are 5 to 10 minutes and require no downtime. Kids can go back into their sneakers and return to activities.
Long-Term Benefits: Studies have shown that shockwave therapy can provide long-lasting relief from heel pain associated with Sever’s disease, with many patients experiencing significant improvements in symptoms after 2 to 3 sessions.
Heel pain in children can be a challenging condition to manage, especially in active children and adolescents. However, shockwave therapy has proven to be a highly effective and safe treatment option for alleviating heel pain and promoting healing. By harnessing the power of acoustic waves to stimulate the body's natural healing processes, shockwave therapy offers targeted pain relief, minimal downtime, and long-term benefits for individuals with calcaneal apophysitis.
Shockwave therapy is a great treatment option if your child is experience heel pain. Because we are a direct care office we do not require referrals from your primary care physician. We have same-day appointments available. Give us a call today at 207-774-0028!