High Arches Care and Treatment

What You Need to Know

Understanding high arches, why they cause pain, and how treatment can help.

Understanding High Arches (Cavus Foot)

High arched feet, also called cavus feet, is as the name implies, a disorder caused by an abnormally high arch of the foot. This causes excess amounts of weight to be placed on the ball and heel of the foot, which can cause pain and other complications. The arch of the foot is an area along the bottom of the foot between the ball and the heel, providing a base for posture and balancing the weight and bone structure. High arches usually manifest in the teenage years.

Common symptoms of high-arched feet include pain when walking, standing, exercising, or playing sports. Shoes do not fit well, the length of the feet may get shorter, and the toes can become claw-like and bent. The heel often tilts inward, causing loss of balance, and calluses can form on the ball of the foot, side, or heel.

High arches can be genetic and run in families. They can also be caused by neurologic disorders or other medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spina bifida, and polio. The underlying cause of the high arch disorder has to be diagnosed to form an optimum treatment plan.

Arch disorders are fairly common and may not need any intervention unless they cause pain, inflammation, or affect movement. Treatments for high arches can include physical therapy, orthotics, bracing, and customized support devices that provide support and protection to the arches. Surgery is considered only in extreme cases. If foot pain, swelling, or other symptoms are affecting movement and quality of life, it is best to see a podiatrist for evaluation and a personalized care plan.

Problems Caused by High Arches

High arches, if they are severe, can cause a number of painful foot conditions, as they affect posture and gait. Recognizing these related problems early can help guide treatment and prevent further complications.

Plantar fasciitis is a common concern. Overuse or trauma to the plantar fascia, the band of ligament that connects the heel to the toes, can cause pain and inflammation. The pain is usually along the heel but can affect the bottom of the entire foot or the arch.

Metatarsalgia is a painful inflammation of the ball of the foot that gets triggered when standing or walking and subsides when at rest. The pain can become worse over time and can cause a limp and compensation pain in other parts of the body, such as the lower back and hips.

Toe deformities are also frequently linked to high arches. Claw toes occur when the toes take on a claw-like position and dig down into the soles of the shoes, often affecting the four smaller toes and producing painful calluses on the balls of the feet and tops of the toes. Hammer toe affects the second, third, or fourth toes, where the toe bends at the middle joint and, in time, can become rigid and require surgery.

Foot and ankle instability is another consequence. In people with high arches, one or both heels tilt toward the middle of the body, increasing the risk of ankle sprains. Addressing high arches early with the right combination of orthotics, supportive footwear, and therapy can reduce the likelihood of these secondary problems and help patients stay active and comfortable.