What are pes cavus? Symptoms and consequences.
Pes cavus, what are they?
Cavus feet are those with a higher than normal vault. They have a tarsus that is much more prominent than usual, which can lead to difficulties when putting on shoes.
Depending on the position of the heels and forefoot, it is possible to determine which type of cavus foot each patient has.
Podiatrists use instruments such as goniometers (devices to measure the angle of the plantar arch) or video analysis and baropodometry technologies.
There are three types of pes cavus:
- Pes cavus valgus: The axis of the heel shows an inward deviation with respect to the axis of the legs.
- Neutral pes cavus: In this case the axis of the heel remains aligned with the axis of the legs.
- Pes cavus varus: The deviation of the heel axis is outward with respect to the axis of the legs.
What are the symptoms of pes cavus?
Before talking about the symptoms, stand in front of a mirror and observe your feet for a few moments sideways. What is the shape of the sole? Does it look like a bridge?
The main problem is that the heels and metatarsal area take the full load of the body’s weight in the stride. This can lead to muscle and tendon injuries, or even affect the hip or back bones.
Other signs that may indicate that you are suffering from pes cavus:
- Difficulties when putting on shoes.
- Plantar fascia pain.
- Scratches on the upper part of the fingers.
- Hardness or calluses in the metatarsal area.
- Foot cramps.
- Unsteadiness or clumsiness in walking.
- Overloads in calf muscles, soleus or hamstrings.
- Knee, hip or back pain.
Consequences of cavus feet.
The most common problems in people who have cavus feet are:
- Finger deformities, better known as claw toes, which cause the toes to bend upwards, resulting in difficulties when putting on shoes or chafing when walking or playing sports.
- The metatarsalgias, that are translated in a marked pain in the area of the plant more next to the fingers and presence of callosities. This condition is caused by the overload that the area receives when assuming much more weight than it should support in each step.
- The plantar fascia also suffers from pes cavus, as the tension to which it is subjected can lead to plantar fasciitis or heel spurs. This tension can be transmitted to other areas and cause injuries to the Achilles tendon, calf, soleus and in general all the posterior leg musculature.
Prevention and treatment in patients with pes cavus.
Most of the conditions and injuries resulting from pes cavus are caused by a defective and irregular footprint, both when walking and during physical exercise.
Biomechanical study of the footprint and biomechanical insoles
Starting from a biomechanical study of the footprint, our podiatrists can collect data to analyze the origin of the discomfort and pathologies, necessary to create customized insoles that help the patient to distribute the loads more evenly, and therefore, to minimize the negative effects associated with the pes cavus.
Physiotherapy
The exercises are mainly focused on reducing the tension generated in the plantar fascia by excessive loads.
It is also important to work on the flexibility and strengthening of the entire structure of the feet to prevent injuries to ankles, calves, knees and all areas that may be affected by the tension of the fascia.
Prevention is the most effective measure against the pathologies associated with pes cavus. Make frequent visits to the podiatrist to check the condition of your feet. This is especially important in the case of children, because if the condition is diagnosed in time, it can slow down its development and minimize its negative effects as much as possible.