High Arches in Adults and Children

High Arches in Adults and Children (Pes Cavus)

People have an arch that runs along the inner side of our feet making a gap between your foot and the floor. High arches is where a person has an arch which is higher than usual. This can cause the foot to be more rigid with less movement which can result in more stress being placed upon it and therefore needing more support.

Babies are born with flat feet and arches normally develop from 3 – 4 years old. High arches are not usually seen in young children and can develop in early adolescents. High arches may not cause a problem but in some cases can progress into a variety of conditions which can be painful or could cause future difficulties. If you have concerns about high arches for yourself or your child you ought to see a an experienced podiatrist.

Rachel Miller is a highly experienced podiatrist who sees many adults and children with high arches. Please see below if you want more detailed explanation of high arches.

Call 020 8348 5553 to make an appointment

Symptoms experienced with a high arch

Pes cavus, high arches, can affect you differently depending on how high the arch is, its cause and symptoms. It can be associated with a more rigid foot with less movement, prone to more stresses and needing more support. The stress and the extra pressure of high arches can cause a wide variety of symptoms and conditions which can develop in one or both feet. Shoes giving the right comfort and support can be difficult to find in children and adults with high arches.

Athletes with high arches should pay extra attention to their lower limbs as pes cavus is not the most efficient foot structure for absorbing shock and feet with a raised midfoot can suffer more overuse injuries such as stress fractures. The high arched foot tends to roll outwards (supinate) and as it rolls through step there can be foot instability with the increased risk of ankle sprains and other conditions. See the Ankle injury page for more detailed information.

Symptoms and issues linked to high arches can include:

foot, ankle, knee, hip or back problems
recurrent ankle sprains
calluses on the ball, heel or side of the foot
toes that are bent (hammertoes or claw toes)
Achilles tendonitis
metatarsalgia, pain in the ball of your foot
stress fractures

Causes of high arches

The causes of high arches can be complex and not well understood. Reasons for high arches can include:

a muscle imbalance in neuromuscular disorders
the effects of a congenital condition
an inherited structural abnormality
the tightening of the plantar fascia
the shortening of the Achilles tendon
an injury
an unknown cause

High arches can be part of such conditions as:

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
spina bifida
muscular dystrophy
cerebral palsy

Treatment of symptoms experienced with high arches

Determining the underlying cause of high arches is important. High arches may not cause a problem and treatment is only necessary if pain is present or if the condition could progress into causing problems in the future.

A biomechanical assessment from an experienced podiatrist can give an accurate diagnosis to help with the treatment of symptoms experienced with high arches. A detailed medical assessment will include you or your child’s medical history, visual clues as well as testing muscle strength while walking and standing. Please bring shoes to a biomechanical assessment as signs of wear may help with the diagnosis. For more information about biomechanical assessments see the Biomechanics page and biomechanic assessments for children see the Children’s page.

You may also be given advice for the best shoes to wear and stretching exercises or you or your child may be prescribed a bespoke orthotic. One aim of treatment is to consider how weight is distributed weight across the foot. A bespoke orthotic insole may help reduce stresses by redistributing pressure across the foot and increase stability by conforming closely to the arch profile as well as supporting and cushioning the foot.

Contact the clinic for an appointment on 020 8348 5553

Rachel Miller is a highly experienced podiatrist who sees many adults and children for pes cavus at her clinic, Highgate Podiatry, in Highgate Village, N6, London. Clinics are held every Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please contact the clinic for an appointment on 020 8348 5553. For the clinic’s address, map and directions see the Contact page.

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