What is pes cavus?
Pes cavus (sometimes referred to as pes cavus) is a deformity of the foot. The arch of the foot in pes cavus is higher than normal and cannot be flattened. Sometimes, the toes are clawed and the heel is deviated. Pes cavus usually affects both feet.
What distinguishes pes cavus from other foot deformities that cause a high arch is that the front part of the foot drops down, so the foot tends to rest on the outer side.
Can pes cavus be cured?
Pes cavus can be straightened with surgery (see treatment section below), but surgery is only considered if it is causing severe symptoms.
What are the symptoms of pes cavus?
Some people experience no problems at all, unless they are looking to buy a pair of shoes that can fit.
Cavus foot x-ray
Other people with the condition experience pain in the foot, especially around the ankle or on the sole. The foot as a whole may hurt if you spend a lot of time on your feet because cavus feet tend to be stiffer than normal and cannot exert pressure.
Cavus foot also causes some people to twist their ankle very easily, or to feel numbness as a result of their skin rubbing against their shoes.
How is cavus foot diagnosed?
Diagnosis is usually made with a clinical examination and follow-up testing.
At the clinical examination, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms, including any pain you have, both in your foot and in other parts of your body. The doctor will then examine your foot and your posture in order to determine the type of deformity you have. Finally, you will be asked about your family medical history, as pes cavus is often an inherited condition.
Your doctor will likely order additional tests to rule out or confirm other possible causes of the condition. These may include neurological tests or a scan of your spine if there is suspicion of a possible tumor.
What are the causes of pes cavus?
Most people with pes cavus have a neurological disorder, which may be static (symptoms do not change) or progressive (symptoms worsen over time).
- Static neurological disorders causing pes cavus include stroke, polio, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, and peroneal nerve injury.
- Progressive neurological disorders that can cause pes cavus include spinal tumor, brain tumor, spinal cyst, muscular dystrophy, Friedreich’s ataxia and Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.
In one out of five cases of pes cavus there appears to be no obvious cause.
What is the treatment for pes cavus?
For most people, pes cavus does not produce symptoms serious enough to be treated with surgery, and the best you can do is simply make sure you take good care of your feet. For some people, foot pain is eased by using special insoles or foot orthotics. For others, physical therapy helps improve ankle muscles for better balance. If you play sports, it is important to make sure your shoes have enough cushioning.
Surgery for pes cavus may involve a number of procedures, including:
- Move the heel bone back under the foot.
- Reposition the bone leading to the big toe.
- reposition the muscles that turn the feet outward
- Release the soft tissues
- Tendon transplantation
The goal of surgery is to place the foot in a neutral position, to reduce pain and to improve mobility and balance. Pes cavus surgery is a major operation. You will have your foot in a cast for about six weeks, and full recovery can take up to twelve months. This is why it is generally only recommended for patients with severe symptoms or who are known to have worsening.