High Arches
Alternate Names : Pes Cavus, Supinator
A foot with a very high or hollowed arch is known as pes cavus. A pes cavus foot can be rigid or flexible. A rigid cavus foot looks the same with weight off or on the foot. A flexible cavus foot has a high arch when there is no weight on the foot. The arch decreases when the person puts weight on the foot.
What is going on in the body?
In a person with high arches, the weight of the body is concentrated on the ball and heel of the foot. A flexible cavus foot often leads to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of fibrous tissue under the skin of the sole.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
One of the most common causes of high arches is a loss of nerve function to the muscles of the foot. Other causes include:
diabetes
poliomyelitis, a disorder caused by a virus that affects the whole body including muscles and nerves. It may cause permanent muscle paralysis, disability, and deformity.
a spinal tumor, a mass within or surrounding the spinal cord
muscular dystrophy, a disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a progressive wasting of muscles in the arms and feet
congenital abnormality, or birth defect
muscle contractures following severe burns. A muscle contracture is a condition in which the muscle is tight and prevents normal mobility.
If the high arches are not treated, the joints of the foot can be damaged. Sometimes the foot can become misshapen or deformed.
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