Best Shoes for Kids with Narrow Feet and Sever’s Disease – Let’s Support Your Kids’ Heels!
Does your child complain about heel pain and has been diagnosed with Sever’s Disease? Are you having a hard time finding a pair of supportive shoes that can fit your child’s narrow feet? Heel pain in children is very common due to the very nature of their growing feet, but it’s important to be proactive to help prevent the condition from getting harder to manage. Supportive shoes with extra cushion and padding right below the heels can help treat your child’s heel pain.
The supportive shoes that I will show you shortly are also capable of accommodating the shape of your child’s narrow feet.
Be Proactive and Don’t Take the “Wait and See Approach”
Too much stress on the growth plate is the most common reason why children suffer from heel pain. Even though heel pain in children is common, parents should be proactive and don’t take the “wait and see approach” as leaving your child’s heel pain untreated can only lead to a more severe injury and chronic 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. 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 come 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 platforms to fit the shape of your child’s narrow feet.
Best Shoes for Kids with Narrow Feet and Sever’s Disease
Below you can find a list of supportive shoes for children with heel pain that can fit narrow feet. 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.
Boys
- Order the shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Axon by Saucony on Zappos
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Novablast 2 GS by Asics on Zappos
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Kinvara LTT by Saucony on Zappos
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Contend 8 by Asics on Amazon
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
Girls
- Order the shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style GEL-Cumulus by Asics on Zappos
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Cumulus 25 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style GEL-Excite 10 by Asics on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Contend 8 by Asics on Amazon
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Wind FST by Saucony on Zappos
- 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
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Axon by Saucony on Zappos
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Padded tongue and collar
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
Apply This Amazing Shoe Lacing Technique
Please take the time to read the most effective shoe lacing technique for children with heel pain and narrow feet. My co-worker who has over 20 years of experience fitting children’s shoes taught me this technique that allows children to get the full support and stability that the shoes have to offer.
Are Any Other Supportive Shoe Choices Available?
If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact me via email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I am happy to help you find a different pair of shoes for your child so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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.
- 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. Best for children under 80 lbs.
- Regular Size – Fits big kid shoe size 6 and above. Weight up to 175 lbs.
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. 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.
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.