Sever’s disease is a common problem in children who are still growing. The medical terms for Sever’s disease is calcaneal apophysitis. It is an overuse injury of the growth plate at the back of the heel bone. This is a self limiting problem, in that the child will always grow out of it when growth in the bone stops, usually around the mid-teenage years. The classic symptoms are pain at the back and sides of the heel bone, especially after exercise. The definitive cause is not totally clear, but it is an overuse injury as it is more common in children.
One of the best resources or discussions on this condition is this video on Calcaneal apophysitis (Sever’s disease) from PodChatLive:
The treatment of Sever’s disease is basically a matter of managing the loads and the lifestyle, perhaps with heel pads and just waiting for the natural history of the condition to takes its course. This can at times be difficult as children tend not to be too compliant with advice to cut back on activity levels when their parents are not around.