It is not uncommon for an adult to complain about heel or foot pain, but it is more surprising when a kid makes the same claims. Children are known to be spry and flexible and are less prone to injury when compared to adults. However, it’s important to understand why kids and teens can have heel pain while they are growing up. A visit to your local heel pain treatment specialist can help you and your child learn about the many different functions of the heel and what might be causing heel pain at different points in life.
Why Kids and Teens Can Have Heel Pain
Non-Medical Heel Pain
The foot is a complex part of the body, so there can be a lot of reasons why your heel is starting to hurt. Children and teens go through spurts of growth throughout their childhood, which can cause sudden and painful movements along the tendons and muscles. Growing pains are short, but they are often sharp and intense, resulting in leftover pain. Heel pain is possible during this time as the bones and tendons around young feet are very susceptible to short spurts of growth.
Foot and Ankle Conditions
If your child’s foot pain is not due to growing pains or other natural causes, there may be a medical reason behind the discomfort. Growth mutations, physical injuries, or muscle spasming may all be signs that there is an underlying condition. Some of the most common foot and ankle conditions include:
Plantar Fasciitis
Although plantar fasciitis is more likely to occur in an adult, anyone can develop pain that starts at the bottom of the heel. This happens when the tendons that surround the heel become inflamed, making it difficult to move that part of the foot without feeling excruciating pain.
Achilles Tendonitis
Damage to the Achilles tendon is painful and can result in a life of Achilles tendonitis, which puts a constant strain on the back of the heel. It might flare up during growth spurts, but it otherwise will persist throughout most of your child’s life. Thankfully, there are a number of treatment options available to reduce swelling.
Calcaneal Apophysitis
This condition may be hard to pronounce, but it is easy to understand. This condition occurs when the heel bone gets a spur or an extra area of growth in the back near the Achilles tendon. This can make it painful to step on or put weight on the heel until medical intervention is available. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the excess bone.
Treating Heel Pain in Kids and Teens
Your child is likely dealing with a lot of pain and should receive treatment as quickly as possible. While heel pain may end up caused by a number of different factors, most of them result from physical stress. Therefore, many different treatment options are the same. A shoe insert may be helpful in relieving pain and helping your child walk, while pain-relieving medication can reduce the discomfort of swelling until the inflammation dies down. The doctor may also recommend a series of stretching exercises and at-home therapy options to slowly strengthen that part of the foot.
Get Top-Notch Foot Care Today
Your child’s feet deserve to be treated ASAP. Visit the Heel Pain Institute of California to learn more about innovative procedures and treatment options, such as top-rated foot keyhole surgery in Los Angeles, that can remove pain and get rid of the underlying conditions that are preventing your child from living their life to the fullest. Foot pain that is not treated tends to get worse, so make the best decision for you and your family today when you get in touch with our friendly experts!