The term cavus foot describes the external appearance of the foot with a high instep, a high longitudinal arch and the heel tilting inward. A cavus foot does not have to cause any discomfort. In most cases, the cavus foot is congenital, but it can also be acquired. If the deformity is new, worsening or causing increasing pain, a presentation in our practice is appropriate.
Occasionally, we will refer you to a neurological specialist to find the cause of the cavus foot.
Conservative treatment
We recommend fitting shoes and insoles as the first step, as this often leads to satisfaction. If surgery is necessary after all, we depend on a well-fitting, strong insole-capable shoe that you can wear after the plaster cast is removed. The purchase of an adapted shoe is in no way in vain.
Surgical treatment
Pain or poor resilience of the foot, which cannot be improved by insoles, are good reasons for an operation.
There are a number of individual standard surgical steps, which we combine individually. Weakened tendons are strengthened by repositioning another tendon. Weakened ligaments are sutured. The heel bone can be shifted to a better position, the first metatarsal can be raised. Screws and plates hold the displacements, they usually do not need to be removed.
X-ray before and after surgery of shifting the heel and the first metatarsal and tendon transfer:
After the surgery
The hospital stay is about 4 days, after surgery plaster cast treatment is performed for 6 - 8 weeks. After that, the ability to walk is rebuilt in a removable boot. Even after the plaster cast has been removed, your walking ability is not unrestricted, as the capsules, tendons and ligaments often remain swollen and sensitive for 4 - 6 months. We recommend that you wear a stable shoe with a good insole for this period.
After extensive foot reconstruction, stop-and-go sports such as tennis, soccer, etc. are not recommended. Hiking, cycling, golf, fitness training or similar should be possible again. How quickly you achieve unrestricted pain-free resilience after the operation is individual and takes between 6 - 12 months.
Make an appointment with us so that we can find the best treatment option for you.
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