TREATMENT
OF SEVER'S DISEASE IN
YOUNG ATHLETES - A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Diaconu
Carmen1, Diaconu Radu2
1Department of Sports Medicine,
Emergency Hospital Craiova,
2Department of Pediatrics,
University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Filantropia Municipal
Hospital, Romania
INTRODUCTION.
Sever’s disease presents in growing children with local pain,
swelling and tenderness over the calcaneal tuberosity. Symptoms are
exacerbated with sporting activities that involve jumping (basketball,
volleyball, running) and/or on direct contact (e.g. wrestling,
football).
Objective.
Identifying the most efficient therapeutic approach correlated with
clinical and radiological findings.
Material and method.
We studied the cases with Sever’s disease admitted in the
Clinic
of Sports Medicine in Craiova between January-June 2008. At admission
the patients were clinically and radiological evaluated and then
included in one of the 3 protocols: rest for 6 weeks, rest for 10 days
associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSA) with
multimineral, antioxidant supplements and only NSA with multimineral,
antioxidant supplements. The follow up was done after 6 weeks and
comprised a clinical examination and the completion of a visual
analogic scale.
Results.
We enrolled 172 patients: 22 to the first group, 121 to the second and
29 to the third group. At follow up the recovered patients comprised
for 91% in the first group, 72% (p = 0,011) in the second group and 11%
(p = 0,000...) in the last group. We couldn’t establish a
correlation between the radiological findings and the prognosis in our
study group.
Conclusions.
Sever’s disease runs a self-limiting course; usually complete
recovery is expected in all our cases. Avoiding physical stress
appeared to be the most efficient therapeutic approach, the use of NSA
with multimineral and antioxidant supplements was effective only in
conjunction with rest.
Key words: Sever
disease, treatment, athletes.
