Sever's disease
Sever's disease was first described in 1912. It is an inflammatory condition that occurs in the heel . It belongs to the category of osteochondritis or osteochondrosis of the foot, i.e., abnormalities in the growth of bone and cartilage. In 50 to 80% of cases, Sever's disease is bilateral.
About Sever's disease
Sever's disease is caused by overuse of two structures in the heel: the Achilles tendon and the calcaneus . The calcaneus is the only bone in the heel and is attached to the calf muscles by the Achilles tendon. Thus, the contraction or shortening of the calf muscles causes the Achilles tendon to pull on the calcaneus. When these pulling movements are excessive and/or repeated during the child's growth, micro-traumas can appear in the calcaneus and lead to an inflammatory reaction.
Sever's disease occurs in children between the ages of 5 and 14 , although it is more common before the age of 11. It usually occurs before or during the growth spurt, and shortly after the child begins a sporting activity.
