Severs Disease
Sever's disease (calcaneal apophysitis) is a common, temporary cause of heel pain in active children and teenagers, caused by irritation of the growth plate at the back of the heel bone. It's not a "disease" in the worrying sense — it's a self-limiting condition linked to growth and activity, and it responds well to the right management. [1]
What Is Sever's Disease?
During growth spurts, the bones can grow faster than the surrounding muscles and tendons. This creates tension where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone (calcaneus), pulling on the growth plate and causing inflammation and pain. [1]
Sever's disease most commonly affects children aged roughly 8–14 who play a lot of running and jumping sports — think soccer, netball, footy, athletics and gymnastics.
What Are the Symptoms?
Common signs include:
- Pain at the back or sides of the heel, often during or after sport
- Tenderness when the heel is squeezed
- Limping or walking on tip-toes to avoid heel pressure
- Tight calf muscles and discomfort in the Achilles region
- Pain that eases with rest and flares with activity
Symptoms can affect one or both heels and tend to come and go with activity levels and growth.
How Blueprint Podiatry Assesses and Treats Sever's Disease
Our podiatry team takes the time to understand what's driving your child's heel pain — not just the symptoms. Every one of our three registered podiatrists holds a Bachelor of Podiatry, is trained in Foot Mobilisation Therapy, and is a certified Level 1 Running Coach, which means we bring genuine gait and running analysis to every assessment.
A typical assessment may include reviewing your child's footwear, sporting load, foot posture and walking and running mechanics. From there we build a tailored plan, which may include:
- Activity modification and load management (rather than complete rest where possible)
- Targeted calf and lower-limb stretching
- Heel raises or cushioning
- Footwear advice suited to their sport
- Custom orthotic therapy where appropriate — scanned with weightbearing 3D technology and 3D printed in-house, so left and right devices are patient-matched to your child
- Footwear and training-load guidance for return to sport
Additional clinic services such as shockwave therapy and dry needling are available when clinically indicated. Our aim is to help manage symptoms, support your child's return to the activities they love, and reduce the chance of recurrence.
When Should You Seek Help?
Book an assessment if your child has persistent heel pain, is limping, walking on their toes, or pulling out of sport because of discomfort. Early management often makes the recovery smoother.
Citations
[1] Hendrix CL. Calcaneal apophysitis (Sever disease). Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15555843/
Medically reviewed by Matt Shanahan, registered podiatrist (AHPRA POD0001603396), Blueprint Podiatry.
Last reviewed: 21 June 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Sever's disease take to recover?
Recovery varies with severity and how consistently the treatment plan is followed. Many children improve within a few weeks to a few months with appropriate management. Because it's linked to growth, ongoing follow-up and load management may be needed until the growth plate matures.
Can my child keep playing sport with Sever's disease?
Often yes, but it usually needs modification rather than complete stoppage. Our podiatrists can help adjust training load and activity so your child stays involved while their symptoms settle. We'll guide a sensible return-to-sport plan.
Can Sever's disease come back after treatment?
It can recur, particularly during growth spurts or busy sporting periods if the underlying factors aren't managed. Continuing with stretches, suitable footwear, sensible load management and any recommended orthotic support helps reduce the likelihood of flare-ups.
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