Course Description:

Pes cavus is an abnormally high medial longitudinal arch that does not reduce while weight-bearing. This characteristic results in a decreased ability to absorb ground reaction forces, and thus pes cavus is associated with gait deficits and foot/lower extremity pain. Other conditions can be associated with pes cavus, including arthritis, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. The majority of pes cavus cases originate from neurologic disorders, although trauma and congenital causes are also possible. Researchers believe that in noncongenital cases, muscle imbalances are the cause, and that these imbalances initially cause a flexible deformity, but if left untreated, eventually progress to a fixed deformity. Failure to diagnose the condition is common, and conservative management usually involves manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and foot orthoses.