High Arches
Medical terminology: pes cavus
What are high arches?
High arches or pes cavus, is a condition when the foot has a very convex shaped arch when standing. When all body weight is placed on the feet, there is a lot space between the arch and the ground.
What can cause high arches?
- Rigid foot
- Injury/trauma
- Arthritis
- Certain neurological diseases or disorders – cerebral palsy, charcot-marie-tooth
- Family history
What are the symptoms of having high arches?
Many people who have high arches do not experience foot pain or other problems. Having high arches does not mean you will experience foot pain but you may be more susceptible to certain foot pain and foot disorders.
- Achy or tired feet
- Pain in the arch, heel or ankle
- Ankle instability
- Calluses and/or corns
- Pain in knee, hip or lower back
How can you treat?
Unfortunately, there is no real treatment for having high arches. This is a structural position of the foot and to change that could disrupt how your feet are suppose to work. Having your foot properly assessed by a foot specialist can give you a better understanding of how your feet work. Proper fitting footwear and possibly custom orthotics can help minimize the symptoms of having a high arch but these will not change the actual shape of your foot.
Recommendation to prevent the issue:
It is extremely difficult to prevent getting high arches due to the fact it usually occurs due to genetics or certain diseases/disorders that can’t be prevented. Again, using proper fitting footwear and possibly custom orthotics can help minimize the symptoms of having a high arch but these will not change or prevent the high arch shape of your foot.
