Sever’s Disease in Grand Rapids, MI

Understanding Heel Pain in Active Kids and Teens

Sever’s disease (also called calcaneal apophysitis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain in active children and pre-teens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It often affects kids involved in running and jumping sports such as soccer, football, basketball, gymnastics, and year-round travel teams that are popular across West Michigan.

What Is Sever’s Disease?

Sever’s disease is an overuse injury of the growth plate at the back of the heel (the calcaneal apophysis), where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone.

  • It is not a true “disease” or infection.
  • It is a temporary, growth-related condition that usually improves as the growth plate matures and closes.

Because Grand Rapids kids are often active in multiple sports across different seasons—indoor sports in the winter and outdoor sports in the spring, summer, and fall—Sever’s disease is commonly seen in local pediatric, sports medicine, and podiatry clinics.

Who Gets Sever’s Disease?

Age and Activity

Sever’s disease most commonly affects:

  • Children 8 to 14 years old
  • Kids going through a growth spurt
  • Those who are physically active, especially in:
    • Soccer and football
    • Basketball and volleyball
    • Running (track, cross-country)
    • Gymnastics, dance, and cheer
    • Skating and hockey (common in Michigan winters)

Boys are slightly more likely to develop Sever’s disease than girls, though it occurs in both.

Why Does Sever’s Disease Happen?

The Role of the Growth Plate

During late childhood and early adolescence, the growth plate in the heel is “active”—it is changing from soft cartilage to hard bone. This growth area is more vulnerable to stress.

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to this growth plate. When a child is:

  • Growing quickly
  • Playing sports that involve a lot of running, jumping, or sudden stops and starts
  • Wearing certain types of footwear

…repeated pulling of the Achilles tendon on the growth plate can cause irritation and inflammation. This is called apophysitis (inflammation of a growth plate).

Contributing Factors

The exact cause of Sever’s disease is unknown, but several factors can increase the risk, especially in active kids in Grand Rapids:

1. Sudden Changes in Activity

  • Starting a new sport season (e.g., going from indoor basketball to outdoor soccer)
  • Joining a new team with more practices and games per week
  • Sports tournaments or “carnivals” with multiple games in one day or weekend
  • Returning to sport after a break (such as after winter break or summer vacation)

2. Type of Sport

Sever’s disease is most often linked to weight-bearing, impact sports, including:

  • Soccer, football, lacrosse
  • Basketball, volleyball
  • Running and track
  • Gymnastics, dance, cheer
  • Hockey and figure skating

These sports are very popular among children and teens in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan area.

3. Footwear and Surfaces

  • Shoes with a low heel (like some football or soccer cleats, minimalist running shoes)
  • Playing sports barefoot
  • Wearing flip-flops or thin sandals (common in summer around Lake Michigan and local beaches)
  • Hard indoor courts or turf fields used during Michigan winters

Low-heeled shoes and cleats place the Achilles tendon on extra stretch, increasing load on the heel growth plate.

4. Physical Attributes

  • Flat feet (pronated foot posture) may slightly increase risk
  • High BMI (body mass index) or higher body weight adds extra stress on the heels
  • Rapid growth spurts where bones grow faster than muscles can stretch

Symptoms of Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease can affect one or both heels. Common symptoms include:

  • Heel pain during or after physical activity (especially running and jumping)
  • Pain that worsens with exercise and improves with rest
  • Limping, especially:
    • In the morning
    • During or after sports
  • Walking on tiptoes to avoid putting weight on the heel
  • Tenderness or pain when the back or sides of the heel are squeezed
  • Stiffness in the heel, particularly first thing in the morning

Symptoms may flare up during growth spurts or when a new sports season starts—something Grand Rapids families often notice as kids transition from winter to spring sports.

How Is Sever’s Disease Diagnosed in Grand Rapids?

A diagnosis is usually made based on:

  1. Medical history

    • Age, growth patterns
    • Sports participation and training schedule
    • Recent changes in activity, footwear, or surfaces

  2. Physical examination

    • Pressing on the heel to check for tenderness
    • Squeezing the sides of the heel
    • Assessing calf tightness and Achilles tendon
    • Looking at foot posture (flat feet, high arches)
    • Observing walking and running patterns

Are X-Rays Needed?

In most cases, x-rays are not needed to diagnose Sever’s disease. The appearance of the heel growth plate on x-ray can vary normally and often looks similar in:

  • A child with heel pain from Sever’s disease, and
  • A child of the same age with no pain

Imaging (x-ray, MRI) may be ordered by a doctor at a Grand Rapids clinic or hospital (such as Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health) only to rule out other causes of heel pain, such as:

  • Stress fracture
  • Tumor (rare)
  • Other bone or joint conditions

Is Sever’s Disease Serious?

Sever’s disease is a self-limiting condition—it will usually get better on its own as the growth plate matures and closes. However, it can be quite painful and may limit a child’s ability to participate in sports and daily activities if not managed properly.

With the right treatment and activity modifications, most kids in Grand Rapids can continue to be active while their symptoms are managed.

Treatment for Sever’s Disease in Grand Rapids, MI

No single treatment has been proven best for all children, but a combination of strategies usually helps reduce pain and allows continued participation in appropriate activities.

Treatment is based on how severe the pain is and how much it interferes with sports and daily life.

1. Activity Modification and Load Management

Managing “load” (the amount of stress placed on the heel) is critical:

  • Reduce or temporarily stop high-impact activities that cause pain (running, jumping)
  • Substitute with low-impact activities such as:
    • Swimming (local pools, Lake Michigan in summer)
    • Cycling or stationary biking
  • Limit the number of games and practices per week during a flare-up
  • Gradually return to full activity as pain improves

A short rest period after an initial flare, followed by carefully managed activity, helps keep the tendon and growth plate healthy.

2. Footwear and Orthotics

Proper footwear is especially important in a city like Grand Rapids, where kids play in different seasons and on varying surfaces.

  • Choose supportive athletic shoes with:
    • Good cushioning in the heel
    • Slight heel lift
  • Avoid:
    • Very flat shoes
    • Worn-out sneakers
    • Long-term use of flip-flops or thin sandals
  • Heel cups or heel lifts may reduce strain on the growth plate
  • Custom or prefabricated orthotics (shoe inserts) may be recommended by a podiatrist or orthotist to address biomechanical issues such as flat feet

3. Avoiding Aggressive Stretching

In the early, painful phase:

  • Avoid aggressive calf or Achilles stretching that pulls hard on the heel
  • Gentle stretching and strengthening may be added later as pain improves, under guidance from a physical therapist or podiatrist

4. Tendon and Foot Support

To address biomechanical factors:

  • Foot taping techniques may help support the heel and arch
  • Exercises to improve neuromuscular control and strength around the foot and ankle can be helpful
  • A physical therapist (physiotherapist) in Grand Rapids can design a targeted exercise program

5. Ice and Cold Packs

  • Apply ice or a cold pack to the back of the heel for about 15 minutes after sports or when pain flares up
  • Always protect the skin with a thin cloth or towel

6. Medication

  • Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen may help reduce pain and inflammation in some cases
  • Always follow dosing instructions and consult with a doctor, pharmacist, or allied health professional before giving medication to a child
  • Medication should be combined with other treatments, not used alone

7. Time and Monitoring

  • With appropriate care, pain often improves within 1–2 weeks after seeing an allied health professional
  • However, the heel growth plate can take up to two years or more to fully mature, so flare-ups may recur—especially:
    • During growth spurts
    • With new sports seasons
    • With changes in footwear or playing surfaces

Self-Monitoring and Prevention of Flare-Ups

Keeping track of symptoms and activity can help families and healthcare providers in Grand Rapids manage and prevent future flare-ups.

Consider monitoring:

  • Heel pain levels (when it occurs, how intense)
  • Morning stiffness in the heel
  • Weekly sports volume (practices, games, tournaments)
  • Type of sport (running/jumping vs low-impact)
  • Growth spurts (rapid increase in height or shoe size)
  • Changes in footwear or playing surface (grass, turf, court, indoor vs outdoor)

This information can help:

  • Adjust training schedules
  • Modify footwear or inserts
  • Predict and prepare for possible flare-ups
  • Guide treatment plans from your child’s provider

Other Causes of Heel Pain in Children

Not all heel pain in Grand Rapids kids is due to Sever’s disease. Other possible causes include:

  • Bursitis

    • Inflammation of small fluid-filled sacs (bursae) near joints
    • Can be caused by injury, overuse, or tight shoes

  • Posterior ankle impingement (less common in this age group)

    • May occur after an ankle sprain
    • Seen in dancers, gymnasts, and football players who spend a lot of time on their toes

  • Stress fracture (uncommon in younger children)

    • Caused by repetitive loading that weakens the bone

  • Heel fracture

    • May result from a fall from a height directly onto the heel

  • Juvenile rheumatoid (idiopathic) arthritis

    • Causes persistent joint pain, swelling, and stiffness

  • Bone tumor (rare but important to rule out)

If heel pain is severe, persistent, associated with swelling, redness, fever, or night pain, or if your child is unable to put weight on the foot, seek prompt medical evaluation at a Grand Rapids clinic or hospital.

Local Grand Rapids Resources for Sever’s Disease

Parents in the Grand Rapids area have access to a wide range of pediatric and sports medicine services:

  • Podiatrists – for diagnosis, footwear advice, orthotics, and foot/ankle management
  • Physiotherapists / Physical therapists – for exercise programs, load management, taping, and rehabilitation
  • Orthotists – for custom orthotics and bracing if needed
  • Pediatricians and family doctors (GPs) – for initial assessment and referrals

Major healthcare systems serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan include:

  • Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health)
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
  • Mercy Health

Public health information and community resources may also be available through:

  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Health programs

Contact your child’s primary care provider or a local pediatric sports medicine clinic if you are concerned about heel pain.

Key Points About Sever’s Disease in Grand Rapids Kids

  • The exact cause is unknown, but it is likely due to multiple factors such as overuse, rapid growth, and increased body weight.
  • Sever’s disease is self-limiting—symptoms usually improve with time as the growth plate matures.
  • It most commonly affects children 8–14 years old, especially those who are active in running and jumping sports.
  • Symptoms include heel pain with activity, worsening after exercise, limping, and tiptoe walking.
  • X-rays are usually not needed for diagnosis.
  • Treatment focuses on activity modification, proper footwear, heel support, ice, exercises, and time.
  • With good management, most children in Grand Rapids can continue to participate in sports while minimizing pain and preventing flare-ups.