What Is Talipes Cavus Foot

Overview
Cavus foot refers to an abnormally high arch and because of this high arch structure, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball and heel of the foot when standing. Cavus foot can lead to a variety of signs and symptoms, particularly pain and instability and it can develop at any age, and can occur in one or both feet. People with high arches are often times vulnerable to overuse injuries during sports and exercise because their feet aren?t good shock absorbers, due to less surface contact with the ground.

Causes
The exact cause of pes cavus is unknown. However, the medical community has settled on three likely scenarios that lead to pes cavus. Neuromuscular Condition. A neuromuscular condition may affect nerves and muscles that cause the hollowing of the foot. There are a number of neuromuscular conditions that could be the culprit, the most likely of which is Charcot-Marie Tooth disease. Congenital. Congenital causes may be derived from familial history of residual club foot as well as cases where the condition happens spontaneously. Trauma. As common sense would dictate, severe foot trauma could cause pes cavus through fractures, burns etc.

Symptoms
Foot Drop. Inbalance/Instability of the foot region. Pain in the metatarsal heads. Frequent lateral ankle sprains. Hammertoes. Pain while walking. Pain while standing. Stiffness in the lower leg and foot joints. Overall foot pain. Claw Toes. Sesamoid Pain.

Diagnosis
Examination of the muscle groups and muscle strength is important. Furthermore, pain along the peroneal tendons may be a sign of a peroneal tendon tear. This may result in a cavus foot much like a posterior tibial tendon dysfunction may result in flatfoot. Instability of the lateral ankle may also lead to a cavus foot position as the talus deviates into a varus position due to the laxity of the lateral ankle ligaments.

Non Surgical Treatment
The management depends on the radiological characteristics. Any motor impairments due to a neurological disease must be corrected before the induced osteoarticular deformities are treated. To avoid having to perform triple arthrodesis at growth completion, preference should be given to surgery during growth to correct the muscle imbalances.

Surgical Treatment
Surgery is usually only justified when deformity is so pronounced or progressive that symptoms are intrusive and unresponsive to conservative treatments. The aims of surgery are to correct deformity, relieve pain and preserve joint motion if possible, re-balance muscle forces to aid gait and prevent progression of deformity. Depending on the nature of the deformity, procedures can be release of plantar fascia, tendon transfer, osteotomy and arthrodesis. Many patients need several operations.