Has your child been complaining of heel pain after soccer practice or games? Do they limp off the field, walk on their toes, or avoid putting weight on their heel? Heel pain in kids is common—especially in active young athletes—and one of the top causes is a condition called Sever’s disease.
Don’t let the name scare you—Sever’s isn’t really a “disease.” It’s a temporary growth-related condition that affects the heel’s growth plate during rapid growth spurts. It’s the number-one reason kids between ages 8 and 14 develop persistent heel pain, and it’s particularly common in soccer players, runners, and athletes who do a lot of sprinting or jumping.
At Lighthouse Foot and Ankle Center, we see this condition all the time during soccer season. The good news? With the right treatment, kids don’t have to sit out the entire season—there are safe and effective ways to reduce pain and speed recovery.
What Is Sever’s Disease?
Sever’s disease (calcaneal apophysitis) happens when repetitive stress and pulling from the Achilles tendon irritate the growth plate in the heel. Since growth plates are still developing in children, they are more vulnerable to overuse injuries.
In soccer players, the combination of:
- Running and sudden direction changes
- Hard playing surfaces
- Cleats with minimal cushioning
- Growth spurts during training season
all put stress on the back of the heel, leading to inflammation and pain.
Symptoms Parents Should Watch For
- Heel pain during or after activity
- Limping or walking on toes to avoid pressure on the heel
- Pain that improves with rest but comes back quickly when play resumes
- Tenderness when the sides of the heel are squeezed
Treatment Options
1. Rest and Activity Modification
Reducing the intensity of practices and games for a short period helps calm down irritation. Sometimes this is enough to settle symptoms.
2. Ice and Supportive Therapies
Applying ice after practices or games can relieve pain.
⚠️ Important note: while advanced therapies like shockwave are being used, we typically avoid NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) because they can interfere with the healing response we’re trying to stimulate.
3. Supportive Footwear and Orthotics
Soccer cleats don’t offer much heel support. Adding heel cups, cushioned inserts, or custom orthotics can reduce strain and protect the growth plate.
4. Stretching and Strengthening
Calf stretches and Achilles tendon exercises help relieve pulling on the heel and reduce recurrence.
5. Radial Shockwave Therapy
For stubborn cases that don’t respond to basic care, we use radial shockwave therapy at Lighthouse Foot and Ankle.
Despite the name, it’s not “shocking” at all—kids usually describe it as a pulsing or tapping sensation. Shockwave works by:
- Stimulating blood flow
- Breaking up inflammation
- Triggering the body’s natural healing response
Most young athletes need only 1 to 2 treatments to feel significantly better and get back to their sport.
Will Sever’s Disease Go Away?
Yes. Sever’s disease resolves once the growth plate in the heel fuses—usually by the mid-teen years. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Left untreated, it can impact your child’s entire soccer season, limit performance, and create compensation injuries in other parts of the foot and leg.
Final Thought
Heel pain in kids is usually temporary, but it shouldn’t be brushed off as “just growing pains.” If your child is limping after practice, avoiding play, or dealing with recurring heel soreness, it may be Sever’s disease.
With proper care—and advanced options like radial shockwave therapy—we can get kids back on the field quickly, safely, and pain-free.
📞 Call Lighthouse Foot and Ankle at 207-774-0028 to schedule an evaluation
🌐 Learn more at www.lighthousefootandankle.com
