A priori cavus foot is a condition that is not given the importance it deserves, but along the lines that make up this article we will see the peculiarities, symptoms, pains and remedies through exercises that exist to alleviate the consequences of having cavus foot.
A pes cavus is a foot with a lot of bridge and that as one advances in life it gives rise to many health problems related to the feet and legs. We already warn that there is no cure, except for a complex surgical intervention that rarely gives good results.
What is pes cavus?
It consists of an elevation of the arch of the sole, in other words, it is a structural alteration of the foot that causes a somewhat higher plantar arch than usual. This is caused by a neurological disease in 80% of the cases, the rest is a genetic alteration or inheritance.
Sometimes, but not always, this physical alteration causes the feet to be shorter and the toes to be stuck together, apart from a deviation of the heel. The cavus foot affects both feet, but our case can also be another type of deformity, since the foot with high arch tends to fall forward, stepping with the metacarpals instead of with the heel.
The most important thing is to go to a specialist when we identify that this plantar arch is not the usual one, whether it is a flat or cavus foot, but it must be reviewed by a specialist and put in treatment as soon as possible, especially in the case of the children.
Symptoms and associated injuries of a pes cavus
There are cases in which this condition does not hurt or annoy, the difficult thing is to find a shoe that fits well, but leaving the physical aspect aside, there are certain symptoms.
- Pain in the pads of the fingers.
- Instability.
- Discomfort when walking barefoot.
- Bad posture when walking.
- Heel pain when supporting it.
- Painful hardness.
- Claw toes.
- Possible appearance of tendonitis.
- Difficulty putting on shoes.
- Lumbago
- Difficulty standing still.
- Alteration of the walk.
Like everything in life, there are a series of consequences, and the cavus foot was not going to be less. Having this condition in our feet leads us to suffer from knee and hip problems , poor posture, pain in the sole of the foot, plantar fasciitis, sprains easily, metatarsalgia of the 5th metatarsal due to intense pressure in that area, various tendinopathies characters, etc.
Best exercises to treat pes cavus
Although it is best to put yourself in the hands of a specialist and then visit a physiotherapist, now we are going to give a few strokes to remedy the consequences of suffering this injury. Through light exercises, we can reduce pain and, above all, the tension that the foot creates for the muscles, tendons and bones of the foot.
Ball massage
A hard ball can now become our best friend and has to be sized adapted to the foot, so it is not worth a tennis ball for a 10-year-old child, or a marble for an adult. It has to be a ball not smooth, but with outward pronunciations such as dog balls.
Ball massages should be done on the pads of the fingers, on the heel and on the part of the bridge. We must remain standing at all times with the foot that is not being exercised in parallel.
Next, the foot that we are exercising with the ball has to move like a fan if we have the ball on the pads , keeping the heel on the ground. When we are massaging the heel we repeat the same exercise, but this time it is the toes that are glued to the ground.
When we have the ball in the center zone, all we have to do is keep the other foot parallel and drop all our weight on the ball. To finish we massage the internal and external part by rolling the foot with the ball back and forth.
Improve foot mobility
The cavus foot causes a lot of tension and makes the foot stiffer and lacks mobility, which is why we have to force that mobility gently. Starting with circular movements of the ankle, to one side and to the other, then we stretch the toes to loosen the grip and facilitate the relaxation of the sole of the foot.
Another key exercise is to grasp the two bony parts of the foot and force the movement. This should be with gentle movements, in addition, it is normal to notice a small annoyance, but if it is intense pain, it is better to stop.
The next exercise is to grasp our foot with one hand and interlock the fingers . Once the two palms are together, we proceed to make gentle circles, forcing a little so that the tension is lowered and the entire foot relaxes.
Each of these exercises has to be performed between 20 and 40 times on each side and at least 2 times a day, although the most recommended is between 3 and 4 times each day.
Massage on the sole of the foot
For this exercise we recommend first stretching the hands and arms, since we will be putting some pressure on the feet in uncomfortable positions and for several minutes, so we need to be relaxed.
With the knuckles of one hand we go over the sole of a foot from the heel to the tip of the toes, exerting some pressure and doing it slowly so that the tissues of the foot give way.
Once we repeat that on each foot, we are going to massage each foot with both hands from the center of the foot to the toes and then from the center to the heel, alternating each one. Both maneuvers have to be done for 2 or 3 minutes without rest on each foot.
Stretching
We have already said that the pes cavus causes a lot of muscle tension, so it is also good to relax the calves and the soleus. For those who do not know, the soleus is in the back of the knees and extends from there to the Achilles tendon.
To perform the stretches we must stand on tiptoe (this is how the calves stretch) and slowly let ourselves fall on our heels. On the contrary, to stretch the soleus, we must bend the knees. We repeat these stretches for several minutes.
