Affiliated Foot Care Center
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The term pes cavus is Latin for "hollow foot" and is synonymous with the terms talipes cavus, cavoid foot, high-arched foot, and supinated foot type.
Pes cavus is also called high instep, high arch, talipes cavus, cavoid foot, and supinated foot type. This high arch is the opposite of flat feet but it may be just as painful.
Approximately 10% of the worldwide population has this condition.
Pes cavus is a medical term for a somewhat unusual condition of the foot, or pes, due to a fixed plantar flexion of the foot. The resulting configuration is a highly arched foot—giving the condition its more common name, high arches—which do not flatten when you are weight-bearing.
As with certain cases of flat feet, pes cavus may be painful due to compression in the middle of your foot but you may experience no pain or discomfort if your feet are properly cared for.
You may have difficulty finding shoes that fit and may require support in their shoes. We can prescribe specially-designed insoles for children with high arches who have difficulty walking.
High arches may be hereditary or acquired, and the underlying cause may be neurological, orthopedic or neuromuscular. Pes cavus is oftentimes—but not always—connected through Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy Type 1 (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) and Friedreich's Ataxia; many other cases of pes cavus are natural.
If you suffer from arch pain Dr. Fosdick can perscribe an orthotic designed with proper arch support for treating the pain. This type of orthotic will control under-pronation, support the arch and provide the necessary relief.
Your feet should be pain free.