Calcaneal apophysitis (often known as disease) is a very common condition in growing kids with the growth area in the rear of the heel bone. The classic symptoms are discomfort with physical activity and pain on squeezing the sides of the calcaneus bone. The problem is self limiting and the child will always outgrow it by the early to mid teenage years because the growing plate combines with the remainder of the heel bone. Though they do outgrow this the problem is often rather painful and needs to be treated. It may cause quite a bit of distress in the child, particularly right after actively playing sport.
The first strategy to the treatment would be to handle the loads by reduction of exercise down to a amount that the signs and symptoms may be controlled. This can be a simple reduction in how frequently they participate in sports activity or you might need a more extreme reduction in all sport when the pain be really bad. Plenty of good judgment needs to be employed here, particularly when it comes to managing the loads, but in addition keeping the child involved in their particular preferred sporting activity. They should be in a position to keep on being active however, not too active that the symptoms become a problem.
The addition of a cushioning heel pad to protect the area and lower the pull on the growth area from the Achilles tendon is actually a great idea. Occasionally foot orthoses can be used for calcaneal apophysitis and they have been proven to be rather beneficial.
This approach should ordinarily deal with most all cases of calcaneal apophysitis, mainly the knowing the characteristics of the disorder and the management of the loads. On the unusual situation a few children may be placed in walking moon boots or leg casts to deal with the symptoms in addition to being a means to decrease the level of physical activity. This management of the work loads may be an ongoing tactic until the growth of the heel bone stops and this growth plate combines along with the rest of the heel bone.