Exercise therapy and activity modification for Sever’s disease in kids
Official title: Exercise Therapy and Physical Activity Modification for Patients With Sever's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by California State University, Fullerton · NCT07928232 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether a structured exercise program plus activity tweaks can reduce heel pain and improve function in children with Sever’s disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 8 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | California State University, Fullerton Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Fullerton, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 30, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2028 |
| Study ends | July 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07928232 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are youths with insidious heel pain and positive findings on calcaneal or Achilles palpation, who can run or jump with pain.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients whose pain does not respond to exercise or who have contraindicating conditions may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Sever’s disease is an overuse injury at the heel growth plate in youth. The trial compares a comprehensive exercise rehabilitation with a non-exercise palliative approach over 12 weeks to see if pain, function, and tissue structure improve. Outcomes include pain and lower-extremity function, muscle and tendon structure, and overall physical activity. The study uses an interventional design with exercise as the active component and an active control for comparison. Recruitment is centered at a university kinesiology facility in Fullerton, CA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could shorten symptoms and improve sports participation and quality of life for affected youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous evidence supports exercise for growth plate injuries, but high-quality data for Sever’s disease remain limited; this study adds to growing but still relatively novel evidence.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Insidious onset of heel pain over several weeks * Pain on palpation of the calcaneus or Achilles tendon * Complaint of heel pain with running or jumping activities. Exclusion Criteria: * Any underlying condition predisposing heel pain (i.e., spina bifida, osteogenesis imperfecta, Larsen syndrome, cerebral palsy) * Any other injury that limits their ability to run or jump.
Where it's running
-
Kinesiology and Health Sciences Building
Fullerton, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Shawn L Hanlon, PhD — California State University, Fullerton
- Study coordinator: Shawn L Hanlon, PhD
- Email: shanlon@fullerton.edu
- Phone: 657-278-5869
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.