So, how do you tell if your kid’s heel pain is related to Sever’s Disease or some other condition or injury?  There is a very simple test you can do to better understand what is behind their pain.  One of the most distinguishing characteristic of Sever’s Disease is very sharp, intense pain on both sides of the heel near the top of the heel bone to the sides of the Achilles tendon and just below the ankle.  The pain can be produced by squeezing or compressing this spot on both sides (medial and lateral) of the heel.  Applying pressure to these areas should hurt.  If this is the case, there is a very good likelihood the pain is related to Sever’s.  Knowing this will help you to have a more informed conversation with your physician and/or pursue a course of action including the NxtMile Sport Insole designed for your athlete’s sport.

You should also know that X-rays are not required to diagnosis Sever’s Disease.   However, an X-ray may help rule out other conditions, such as, fracture, infection, or the existence of a bone cyst.  In most cases, athletes with heel (calcaneal) pain will more often than not have a normal x-ray.  On occasion, the x-rays will show a increased density and irregular fragmentation near the heel.  This "dense" area is most likely a secondary bone growth center of the heel and not an indication of any sort of more profound medical condition.