Pes Cavus, also known as high arches, is a painful condition caused by an imbalance of muscle strength or flexibility in the foot. This can lead to excessive tension on tendons and ligaments, resulting in minimal contact between the sole and the ground while walking. Flat feet combined with plantar fasciitis often exacerbate this issue further – making it difficult to move around freely.
The most common symptom associated with pes cavus is foot pain when walking or standing for long periods of time. This may be particularly noticeable when running or participating in other repetitive activities such as jumping or climbing stairs. Other symptoms may include calluses, corns, claw toes, hammer toes, bunions, or difficulty fitting into shoes due to a longer second toe (Morton’s toe). A physician or podiatrist can diagnose fallen arches through a physical examination, which may be complemented by X-ray imaging to measure any curvature in the foot.
Treatment options range from orthotics and stretching exercises for pain management to more complex solutions, such as steroid injections and surgery, depending on the severity of the condition. Pes cavus can be congenital (present from birth) or developed later during life. It is more common among people who play sports requiring constant pounding on hard surfaces, such as running track or basketball. Additionally, some forms of arthritis can cause pes cavus along with certain neuromuscular diseases such as Charcot-Marie Tooth disease.