COMMON PROBLEMS
High-arched foot – Cavus foot
A foot in which the arch is abnormally high is called a caves or high-arched foot. A cavus foot can be flexible, semi-rigid or rigid in nature. This type of foot condition produces excessive forces on the forefoot during loading and walking, often leading to instability in the foot and ankle, with accompanying pain. The cavus foot can develop at all ages and affect one or both feet.
The high-arched foot is often genetic in origin. It may also be caused by a neurological disorder or other medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spina bifida, poliomyelitis, muscular dystrophy or stroke. In such cases, the deformity will likely worsen, with the foot becoming more hollow over time. Consulting a neurologist is highly recommended. However, when the cause of the high-arched foot is genetic, the overall appearance of the arch shouldn’t change over time.
In addition to an abnormally high arch, one or more of these signs or symptoms may be present:
– Hammer toes or claw toes
– Calluses – under the forefoot, outer side of the foot, under the heel
– Pain standing or walking
– Instability of the foot and ankle
– Frequent ankle sprains
– Muscle weakness
– Falling arch (a potential result of serious neurological damage)
– Lower back pain
