Best Shoes for Kids with Narrow Feet and Sever’s Disease – Let’s Support Your Kids’ Heels!
Do you have a child with narrow feet who is experiencing heel pain? Has your physical or occupational therapist diagnosed your child with sever’s disease or calcaneal apophysitis? Heel pain in children is very common due to the very nature of their growing feet. Too much stress on the growth plate is the most common reason why children suffer from heel pain. I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for kids with narrow feet and Sever’s disease based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
Be Proactive and Don’t Take the “Wait and See Approach”
Even though heel pain in children is common, I always recommend parents be proactive and don’t take the “wait and see approach” when it comes to treating their children’s heel pain. Leaving your child’s heel pain untreated can only lead to a more severe injury and chronic pain.
If your child is complaining about heel pain, the first step is to check the shoes that your child is wearing. Something so simple as providing your child with the correct pair of shoes can significantly reduce, or fully eliminate your child’s heel pain.
Certain shoes provide targeted support to the heel and have proven to be the most effective ones when it comes to treating and preventing heel pain. There is a small selection of these shoes that are capable of fitting the shape of a child with narrow feet. I will show you a selection of these shoes shortly, but first I want you to get familiar with the most common heel pain symptoms and what features your kids’ shoes must provide to help treat and prevent heel pain.
Kids with Heel Pain – The 3 Most Common Symptoms!
The heel pain that your child is experiencing is totally different from the heel pain that you might have experienced as an adult. When children experience heel pain, their pain intensifies as they walk, while for adults the pain actually reduces as they walk.
Has your child been complaining about pain in the back or bottom of the heel? Have you noticed any of the following symptoms?
- Limping.
- Walking on toes.
- Difficulty participating in usual activities or sports.
These are all signs that your child might be dealing with heel pain.
Shoes for Kids with Heel Pain and Narrow Feet – 3 Important Features!
1️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: This is the back part of the shoes that provides heel and ankle support. The firmer the heel counter of the shoe is, the better. If you are unsure about where the heel counter of the shoe is located, then take a look at the image below for clarification purposes:
Always make sure that the heel counter of your kids’ shoes feels firm and not flimsy. Below you can find the difference between a shoe with a soft heel counter and one with a firm heel counter:
2️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature helps reduce the impact that your kids’ feet take when they become in contact with the ground. Always look for shoes that come with a thick and supportive outsole. Below you can see the difference between a shoe with a substantial sole versus a shoe with a sole that is too thin and doesn’t provide the correct amount of support:
3️⃣ Shoelaces vs Velcro Closure: I always recommend shoes that come with shoelaces versus shoes with Velcro closure for kids with foot conditions or for kids who have narrow heels. The shoelaces are going to provide your child with better support and stability, and the shoelaces are going to fit the shape of your child’s narrow feet better than any other alternative closure.
In addition to providing those 3 important features, the shoes that I recommend provide a narrow heel counters and narrow toe-boxes to fit the shape of your child’s narrow feet.
Below you can visualize the difference between a shoe with a narrow toe-box versus a shoe with a rounder one. Do you notice how the shoe on the right has a much narrower toe-box versus the shoe on the left?
This is the type of shoe that is going to help accommodate the shape of your child’s narrow feet.
Now that you know what the symptoms of a child with heel pain are and what features your kids’ shoes must provide, you are ready to take a look at the best shoes for kids with narrow feet and heel pain.
Keep in mind that I only review shoes that I have fitted before, as that’s the only way for me to tell how supportive the shoes are, how well they are made, and how they fit. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Kids with Narrow Feet and Sever’s Disease
Boys
- Shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Noosa Tri 13 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Contend 8 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cohesion 14 LTT by Saucony
- The Saucony shoe style Cohesion is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Novablast 2 GS by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Novablast is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Axon by Saucony
- The Saucony shoe style Axon is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Contend 8 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Girls
- Shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Noosa Tri 13 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GEL-Cumulus by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Cumulus 25 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GEL-Noosa Tri 15 GS by Asics
- The Asics shoe style GEL-Noosa Trim 15 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Infused gel for extra cushion and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- The Asics shoe style Contend 8 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Wind FST by Saucony
- The Saucony shoe style Wind is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Breathable mesh and synthetic upper
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning in the heel
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Endorphin KDZ by Saucony
- The Saucony shoe style Endorphin is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Please take the time to read the most effective shoe lacing technique for children with heel pain. My co-worker who has over 20 years of experience fitting children’s shoes taught me this technique and I believe your child will strongly benefit from it.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
If none of these shoes are available in your child’s shoe size or if you need the shoes to be made of a specific color don’t hesitate to email me at:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
The shoes that I recommended will help treat and prevent your child’s heel pain as long as your child has moderate to mild heel pain. If your child happens to have severe heel pain, then I recommend trying a heel cup inside your kids’ shoes for extra support. Heel cups are more affordable than orthotics and extremely effective when it comes to treating or preventing heel pain.
Are Heel Cups Effective for Children with Heel Pain?
There is a particular heel cup that has proven to be the most effective in significantly reducing or completely eliminating heel pain, as it provides shock-absorbing protection to your child’s heels.
I have fitted this heel cup in several different pairs of kids’ shoes. Tuli’s Heel Cups are the #1 podiatrist recommended heel cup in the world. Below you can find the best heel cup for shoes that I have fitted before:
- Ideal to treat and prevent general heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Sever’s disease, excessive pronation, Achilles tendonitis
- Innovative multi-cell, multi-layer waffle pattern design, helps to absorb impact pressure (shock) and return impact energy back to the feet
- The extra cushion this heel cup includes reduces and prevents sore heels and shin splints
Small Size – Fits from a little kid shoe size 10.5 to a big kid shoe size 6.
Regular Size – Fits big kid shoe size 6 and above.
Heel Pain for Kids Who Play Sports – The Best Sport Sports Shoes
Children who play sports are at higher risk of developing heel pain, as when children play sports they are stressing out their feet and legs at a whole different level.
Is your child involved in competitive sports? Does your child complain about heel pain during the game and practice?
It’s important that you allow your child to play sports without experiencing any pain, as this is going to directly affect your child’s performance. It doesn’t matter what type of sport your child is playing – soccer, basketball, baseball, football, etc. there are cleats available for children with narrow feet and I will help you find them.
My last piece of advice to parents is to make sure that their kids don’t skip warm-up or cool-down exercises. Stretching also helps prevent heel pain, especially when sports call for explosive sprints that pull quickly on tendons.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape
I created a resource that describes the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home.
The constant muscle strain and repetitive stress on your child’s heels, especially in children who are active or obese leads to heel pain.
Do not hesitate to contact me directly if you are having trouble fitting this heel cup inside your kids’ shoes or if you have any other questions about your child’s heel pain.
Have you found a particular shoe style that has been effective in treating and preventing your child’s heel pain? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.
Would Severs disease/ narrow feet guidelines for fitting shoes be very similar to fitting shoes for in-toeing/ narrow feet? I got my 3 year old new balance shoes with great support as you mentioned in other blog but then I realized new balance is too wide. Would
Would Severs disease/ narrow feet guidelines for fitting shoes be very similar to fitting shoes for in-toeing/ narrow feet? I got my 3 year old new balance shoes with great support as you mentioned in other blog but then I realized new balance is too wide.
Hello Kate,
New Balance shoes are not too wide, they are available in wide and extra wide widths which makes them ideal for children with wide feet. If you ordered the New Balance shoes in a medium width (M), they might fit the shape of your son’s narrow feet correctly depending on how narrow your son’s feet are.
With that said, there are other supportive shoes that can accommodate the shape of a narrow foot better than New Balance (such as the Asics and Saucony styles described in this article).
If you would like me to send you specific shoe recommendations for your son I will need to know your son’s shoe size.