High Arch Feet

High arch feet place too much pressure on the ball and heel of your feet, causing foot pain and instability. A team of podiatrists specializes in diagnosing and treating high arch feet at Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics in Edina and Burnsville, Minnesota. The team takes conservative and progressive approaches to care. Call the nearest office today or book an appointment online to schedule an evaluation for your high arch feet.

What are high arch feet?

High arch feet, also called cavus foot, means the arch in your foot is higher than normal. The foot arch plays a central role in supporting the biomechanics of your feet during movement. It distributes body weight and absorbs shock.

When you have high arch feet, your body’s weight distribution changes, placing too much stress and pressure on your feet, causing foot pain and damage.

What are the symptoms of high arch feet?

With high arch feet, your arch is higher off the ground when you stand. A normal arch has a small amount of space between the top of the arch and the floor. With a flat foot, there’s no space.

With high arch feet, you can have:

• Thick calluses on the ball, side, or heel of your foot
• Hammertoe or mallet toe
• Foot pain when walking or standing
• Foot instability

Some people with high arch feet have foot drop, a weakness in the foot and ankle muscles that causes the foot to drag when taking a step.

If you have concerns about the arch in your feet, Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics’ highly skilled team can help.

What can I expect during an evaluation for high arch feet?

You can expect a thorough, patient-centered exam when visiting Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics with concerns about high arch feet. Your podiatrist reviews your symptoms, medical history, and family history and examines your feet.

They also evaluate the arch in your feet as you stand and walk. The team might order X-rays to assess the structure of your feet and look for abnormalities.

How are high arch feet treated?

The Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics team takes conservative and progressive approaches to care, focusing on providing treatments that improve your quality of life.

Initial treatment of high arch feet can include:

• Custom-fitted orthotics (personalized shoe inserts)
• Changing the shoes you wear
• Bracing
• Night splints
• Icing
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

When conservative medical care fails to improve your high arch feet symptoms, the team will recommend podiatric surgery. The surgeons alter the tendons or remove bone from some areas of the foot to improve the arch.

High arch feet are less common than flatfoot but can cause more problems. Call Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics or schedule an appointment online today for expert care of high arch feet.