Growing Pains
The Effects of Sever's and Osgood Schlatter Disease on Your Young Athlete
by Judy Hacker

For parents who have children in recreational or competitive sports, there are always going to be little bumps and bruises along the way. As more and more children are playing sports of all levels, it's not uncommon to hear kids complaining about “growing pains.” Many times these pains that our children feel can be attributed to Sever's Disease and Osgood-Schlatter Disease. In the past these were mostly seen in young boys; however, with more girls playing sports, it is seen just as frequently among them as well. So, what are Sever's and Osgood-Schlatter diseases and what do they mean for our children?

Definitions
Sever's is one of the most common causes of heel pain in young children. It is often seen among kids between 9-15 years of age when puberty is occurring. It's not uncommon to find children whose feet seem to have grown out of proportion to their bodies during this time. This is because your feet often grow to full size before the rest of your body. During puberty the bones grow faster than the muscles and tendons. This causes tension in the foot. Combine this with a child who is active, and the end result is a heel that has become inflamed causing Sever's Disease.        

A child with Sever's may complain of pain in one or both heels. You may notice that your child walks with a limp. Pain may be relieved when the child is not active in sports, and it may increase with running or jumping. A child may first complain of pain in the heel at the beginning of a sports season or during the season, especially if the sport they are playing is on a hard surface.     

Osgood-Schlatter is a very common cause of knee pain in children who play sports. As stress is put on the tendon that attaches the muscle at the front of the thigh to the shinbone it causes an inflammation known as Osgood-Schlatter Disease. Similar to Sever's Disease, this occurs around the ages of 9-15, most often when kids are in a growth spurt. A child may present with symptoms of swelling and tenderness at the knee with pain below the kneecap. One or both knees may be affected. The discomfort of Osgood Schlatter can last from weeks to months until your child stops growing. 

Neither of these ailments is a long-term problem; however, this doesn't diminish the pain that they cause, which may limit the child's ability to perform sports activities while waiting for them to resolve.

Pain varies from person to person. Some children have mild pain, while other children may have more severe pain when performing weight-bearing activities. Children who have Osgood-Schlatter and Sever's can continue to play their sport; however, if the pain is too severe your physician may recommend limiting the activity, taking a short break, or trying other activities that don't put as much stress on the leg and foot until the pain subsides.
Ultimately, to play or not to play is a decision between you and your physician. Wearing good quality shoes with firm support and shock absorbency, and stretching and icing the affected areas after activity are a few things your child can do to help himself during this period.  

Be Proactive
Doug Thompson, who is an NASM and ACE certified personal trainer, and who also owns The Body Firm Fitness Center in Ahwatukee, has seen the effects of Sever's and Osgood-Schlatter among clients he has trained during his 13 years of personal training. He has also experienced Osgood-Schlatter himself as a teen.

“Stretching exercises cannot only help during a period when a child suffers from Sever's or Osgood-Schlatter, but it's a good way to be proactive,” says Thompson. “You may not be able to prevent these things from happening, but good flexibility may help to prevent injury.”
Thompson suggests encouraging your child to form a habit of doing a slow warm up and then stretching before and after activities.

“This habit will go a long way in injury prevention during childhood and into adulthood,” Thompson says. “We have a number of middle and high school athletes who we train, and flexibility is a very important component to not only improve performance, but most importantly to prevent injury.”

If your child does complain of foot, heel, knee or leg pain seek medical attention for a correct diagnosis. This is extremely important to assure that it is Sever's Disease or Osgood-Schlatter and not something else. Your physician will provide you with additional information on how to manage the diagnosis.   

Most cases of Sever's and Osgood-Schlatter improve in a few weeks or months ,though can recur during each sport season until your child stops growing. Remain positive for your child while following the advice of your health care provider. Stretching exercises to improve flexibility will help along with icing, rest and a good pair of shoes. Soon enough your little athlete will be feeling 100 percent again and he'll probably be a few inches taller as well!   K&S

Judy Hacker is a freelance writer who's lived in Arizona since 1991. A registered nurse for the past 20 years, Judy enjoys writing about health, fitness and parenting topics. She's a wife and mother of two teenagers who've been active in sports for many years. You can reach Judy at MOMversing@aol.com.