A high arched foot, pes cavus, is the polar opposite of flat feet.
While almost 20% of the population has some type of flat feet related issues, high arches are much less frequent even though a lot of people suffer from this medical condition. High arches are also known as pes cavus in the medical community and along with the following two terms that are generally related to high arches are “supination” or “supinated feet,” and for the purpose of simplification, in this article, we will be using these terms equivalently.
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HIGH ARCHES & FOOT PAIN
LET’S DEFINE HIGH ARCHES.
High arches are a condition in which the foot has a much higher arch than usual, and although there’s no exact measurement, it’s customarily accepted to say you have high arches with the feet water test. What is the feet water test? You simply walk around water barefoot and see your footprints, if you mostly see the ball of your foot and your heel with a lot less imprint of the middle foot, you have high arches.
High arches on the feet are much less common than flat feet, but they can be just as painful as flat feet and sometimes even more painful depending on the severity. A lot of times people that have-arches have a difficult time finding comfortable footwear and the majority require specialized insoles just not to have everyday discomfort.
WHAT CAUSES HIGH ARCHES?
As with many medical conditions, it’s in our genes, do your parents have high arches? If they do, there’s a good chance that you also have, and if not you, maybe one of your siblings. The basic shape and form of our feet are inherited from our parents, even though very similar to our fingerprints all feet are utterly unique. But before we continue, it is also important to note that high arches can be caused by neurological, orthopedic or neuromuscular medical issues.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HIGH ARCHES?
The symptoms for high arches can vary significantly from individual to individual.
Some indicators of high arches are calluses on the ball, side or heel of the foot pain when walking or just standing. If you have had many ankle sprains, that can be due to an unstable foot, the result of a high arch. Other symptoms can be hammered toes or claw toes.
And just like some cases of flat feet, high arches can be extremely painful for some people due to metatarsal compression.
SHOULD YOU HAVE SURGERY FOR HIGH ARCHES?
Here you need to consult a physician. Ordinarily, other treatments nonsurgical treatments can be beneficial in relieving high arch related pains.
NONSURGICAL TREATMENT FOR HIGH ARCHES.
- Use the correct shoes. For high arches, it’s essential to have add stability to the bottom of your shoe, so go with a wider base shoe to gain additional stability. And if you are looking for sneakers for high arches, go with hightops, since they support your ankle which again gives your foot more stability.
- Insoles and orthotics – insoles and orthotic inserts can also provide stability to the current shoes and footwear you have. The best inserts for high arches offer good cushion and add stability to the foot.