• Also known as pes cavus

• Condition in which the arch is exaggerated and the foot is often said to be rigid

• Extensor tendons on the top of the foot often tend to appear prominent

What causes it?

• Most often it is a hereditary structural foot defect
• Sometimes a result of neurological or muscle disorders

Signs and Symptoms

• May cause callus buildup and/or corns under first and fifth toes
• Sometimes leads to foot and heel pain from plantar fasciitis or other problems
• Limited range of motion leads to poor shock absorption and possibly pain throughout body chain, feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back
• Can cause shin splints
• Over-supination, an abnormality in the gait cycle (mechanics of foot movement) in which weight tends to be on the outside of the feet
• People with high arches often complain that shoes with laces are uncomfortable due to the prominence of bones on the top of the foot

Prevention and Treatments

• Icing for ten minutes three times per day and/or anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation if plantar fasciitis results
• Low dye strapping (taping) to help relieve stress on the plantar fascia
• Off-the-shelf arch supports for simple, non-severe problems
• Prescription custom orthotics to help correct structural foot problems causing the pain, with additional cushioning to accommodate for the high arch
• Footwear that is properly suited to your foot type. For an illustration of what to look for in footwear at your local shoe store for your type foot, click here. Your Chiropodist can provide further footwear advice
• Stretching exercises for your foot, including the plantar fascia. For examples of the kinds of exercises your Chiropodist may recommend, click here
• As a last resort for rare, extreme cases, a soft-tissue surgical procedure called a plantar fasciotomy may be performed in which a small notch is made in the plantar fascia to relieve stress

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