Sever’s disease is a common and painful condition that presents typically growing, athletic children and young teens.
Don’t let the name fool you- this condition is not actually a ‘disease’ as such, but an irritation to the growth place of the calcaneus (heel bone).
Sever’s disease commonly affects children aged 8-14 years old and is caused by a combination of muscle overuse and growth spurt. Muscles, tendons and bones grow at different rates, and sometimes the bones can grow too fast for the muscles to keep up- this can cause tightness and pulling in the muscles, which place extra pressure on the joint.
Heel pain due to Sever’s disease often flares up after a major growth spurt or period of excessive load e.g. sports carnivals, starting a new sport/sporting season, or an increase in training.
