Child’s Heel Pain After Sport: Causes and Relief

Why Does My Child’s Heel Hurt After Sports? A common reason is irritation around the heel’s growth area, often called Sever’s disease, especially after repeated running or jumping. Other causes are possible, so heel pain alone cannot confirm what is behind it. If pain changes how your child walks or runs, pause or modify the activity rather than encouraging them to push through.

Heel pain does not always mean your child needs to stop all activity. The pattern of symptoms, how they affect everyday movement and whether they settle when impact is reduced can help guide next steps. Here’s what to look for, what you can try, and when an assessment may be useful.

Why can a child’s heel hurt after sports?

The cause may be repeated running and jumping, sensitivity around a growing heel, or another foot or ankle problem. The way the pain starts offers useful clues, but cannot identify the cause on its own. Discomfort that builds during training or after several active days is different from pain that begins after a fall or direct blow, which may need prompt assessment.

What is Sever’s disease, and is it the only possible cause?

Sever’s disease, also called calcaneal apophysitis, is irritation around the heel’s growth area, where the Achilles tendon attaches. This area is still developing in children, and repeated impact from sports such as running and jumping can place stress on it. Learn more about Sever’s disease (calcaneal apophysitis), and see how it relates to other growth-related pain conditions.

Sever’s disease is a common explanation for sports-related heel pain, but it is not the only possibility. Soft tissues around the heel, including the Achilles tendon or the sole of the foot, may also become irritated. Pain after a specific impact or injury can have a different cause.

Note whether the pain came on gradually or suddenly, affects one or both heels, and is worse during sport or everyday walking. A clinician will also consider your child’s age, recent changes in training and how the symptoms affect daily activities. A physical examination may look at where the pain is felt and how the foot and ankle move. Heel tenderness alone cannot confirm Sever’s disease.

What should parents do when a child’s heel hurts during or after sport?

Pause or modify the activity that brings on heel pain, especially if your child starts limping, avoids putting weight on the heel or changes how they run. Do not encourage them to push through worsening pain. General muscle aches after harder or unfamiliar exercise are more typical of post-exercise soreness and tend to ease with recovery. Pain focused in the heel, particularly if it affects walking or repeatedly returns with impact, deserves closer attention.

How can activity be adjusted without simply pushing through?

Use your child’s movement and comfort as practical guides. If running or jumping brings on heel pain, reduce those impact demands or stop the session. A lower-impact activity may be an option if it feels comfortable and does not affect their walking afterwards. This kind of symptom-led adjustment is more useful than either pushing through pain or stopping all activity automatically. Broader youth sports injury guidance can help put training changes in context.

Keep a brief record of the pattern, including:

• When the pain begins, such as during warm-up, after repeated drills or later that day.
• Which movements make it worse, and whether your child changes how they move.
• Whether the heel settles after activity or remains painful during everyday walking.

These details can help you judge whether an activity change is making a difference and explain the problem during an assessment. If normal walking is uncomfortable, give the heel a break from sport and seek advice rather than testing it with more running or jumping. Avoid relying on a fixed rest period or return date, as the appropriate approach depends on the child and what is causing the pain.

If symptoms continue to affect participation, an individual Paediatric Physiotherapy assessment can consider your child’s symptoms, movement and sporting demands to guide next steps.

When should a child’s sports-related heel pain be assessed?

Arrange an assessment if heel pain persists despite adjusting activity, keeps returning when your child resumes sport, worsens, affects normal walking or limits participation. Do not encourage a child who cannot walk comfortably to train through the pain. Seek prompt medical attention after significant trauma or if symptoms are severe or rapidly worsening.

An assessment can help explore possible causes and guide practical next steps without relying on one symptom to make a diagnosis. Paediatric Physiotherapy at Benchmark Physio considers how the heel problem affects your child’s movement and sporting demands, then discusses an individual management plan.

What may a paediatric physiotherapy assessment involve?

The first physiotherapy session lasts about 45 minutes. It includes a discussion of your child’s symptoms and medical history, a physical examination and a management plan. Depending on your child’s symptoms and comfort, the physiotherapist may assess movement, strength and mobility, as well as relevant activities such as walking, running or jumping.

Bring information that may help with the assessment:

• Your child’s medical history.
• Relevant scan or MRI reports.
• A current medication list.
• A doctor’s referral, if relevant.

The aim is to understand your child’s individual presentation and discuss a suitable approach, not to assume a particular cause or promise a specific outcome.

Help your child take the next step

If heel pain is affecting your child’s activities or confidence about returning to sport, an individual assessment can help clarify what support may be appropriate. Benchmark Physio provides age-appropriate, evidence-based Paediatric Physiotherapy, taking your child’s needs and sporting demands into account rather than assuming every heel problem has the same cause.

Use the assessment to discuss what your child hopes to return to, whether that is school sport, running with friends or a favourite activity. The aim is to help you make informed decisions about next steps without expecting your child to push through pain or stop everything unnecessarily.

Book an assessment with Benchmark Physio to discuss your child’s heel pain and the next steps for returning to activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is heel pain after sport always Sever’s disease?

No. Sever’s disease is a growth-related heel condition, not an infectious illness, and it should not be assumed just because a child is active and has heel pain. Different causes may call for different advice. A clinician can assess your child’s individual presentation and discuss suitable next steps.

Can a child have Sever’s disease in both heels?

Yes, symptoms can affect both heels. The discomfort does not have to be equal on each side, and its effect on activities such as using stairs, walking or running may differ. When describing the problem to a clinician, explain what each heel makes difficult. This helps show how the symptoms affect your child day to day.

Does a child need an X-ray for heel pain?

Whether an X-ray is recommended is a decision for the clinician assessing your child. Explain whether the pain followed an injury, where it is felt and which activities are affected. These details help the clinician decide what examination or investigations may be appropriate. Do not assume that a particular diagnosis automatically means an X-ray is needed.

When should my child stop playing sport because of heel pain?

There is no universal number of rest days that suits every child. Before returning to full sport, your child should be able to manage sport-specific movements, such as jogging, sprinting and jumping, without heel pain, and have no pain at rest. If you are unsure whether they are ready for full training or competition, seek individual guidance rather than relying on a calendar date.

Article by

Ng Hong Kai

Hong Kai has been practising musculoskeletal physiotherapy for more than a decade. He is the first Singaporean to achieve dual credentials as both an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and a tertiary trained Exercise Scientist.

Hong Kai's broad and extensive skillset allows him to create solutions that are simple, effective and tailored to a client’s musculoskeletal needs. His beliefs in continuing education and self improvement led him to complete his Masters in Clinical Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal), where he had a chance to participate in formal research into knee osteoarthritis under the supervision of world renowned researcher and physiotherapist Prof Peter 0′ Sullivan. Hong Kai has experience treating a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, with a specific focus on addressing lower back, neck, shoulder and knee pain.