What is Sever's Disease
Recently, we wrote about a condition known as Osgood-Schlatter disease, a knee problem often encountered by tween athletes, and it got a ton of interest. It’s more common than you might think, but as we experienced with our own son, not many people including coaches and even GPs are aware of it. One parent comment we got (thank you!) suggested we cover another similar condition we also had not heard of before. Sever’s syndrome (usually called Sever’s disease) is an overuse injury of the heel’s growth plate in children, not an infection or “disease” in the usual sense. It is one of the most common causes of heel pain in active kids during their growth spurts.
What it is
Sever’s disease is irritation and inflammation of the growth plate at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus), where the Achilles tendon attaches. It happens only in growing children and adolescents, typically around ages 8–14, because the growth plate is still open and more vulnerable to stress.
Typical symptoms
Pain and tenderness in one or both heels, often worse with running, jumping, or sports and better with rest.
Limping, walking on toes, or avoiding putting the heel down; sometimes mild swelling or redness around the heel.
Why it happens
During a growth spurt, bones can lengthen faster than muscles and tendons, so the Achilles tendon becomes relatively tight and pulls on the heel growth plate. Running and jumping sports (like soccer, basketball, gymnastics) and hard surfaces or unsupportive shoes add repetitive stress to that area. Over time, this repeated traction can irritate and inflame the growth plate, especially when kids are training multiple days per week or playing on more than one team without enough rest between sessions. Children with naturally tight calf muscles, reduced ankle flexibility, or a recent rapid increase in training load may be even more likely to develop symptoms.
Treatment and outlook
Usual management includes rest or activity modification, ice, anti-inflammatory pain relief as advised by a clinician, calf and Achilles stretching, and cushioned or slightly raised-heel footwear/heel cups. Symptoms typically resolve over weeks to a few months and do not cause long-term damage once the growth plate closes, though pain can flare again during growth until then.
If you suspect your child with heel pain may be dealing with Severs, a pediatrician or sports medicine/foot specialist should confirm the diagnosis and rule out fractures or other causes. As with Osgood-Schatter though, don’t be surprised if pediatricians or family doctors are not familiar with the condition.