The main contributors to Sever’s disease include:

• Overuse from high-impact sports
• Tight Achilles tendons from rapid bone growth
• Poorly fitting footwear that doesn’t support the heel properly

These factors can irritate the heel’s growth plate, especially when repetitive stress is applied without adequate recovery time

Signs that your child may have Sever’s disease include:

• Heel pain, especially after sports or physical activity
• Limping or walking on tiptoes to avoid pressure on the heel
• Tenderness and swelling at the back of the heel
• Increased discomfort with running, jumping, or climbing stairs
  

If your child regularly complains of heel pain after playing sports, it’s worth having them assessed by a healthcare professional.

Diagnosis typically involves a physical examination by a podiatrist or GP. In most cases, no imaging is needed, but occasionally an X-ray may be used to rule out fractures or other causes of heel pain.

Because this condition is common in growing children, an experienced podiatrist can often make a confident diagnosis based on symptoms and activity history.