High Arches

Hi All.
I brought my son for a 2nd opinion the other day. Can't say I heard anything new. But he did mention that he has very high aches and his ankles are stiff. He mentioned it more than once but didn't give an answer when I asked what it could mean. Anyone know  what this could mean? I know it's not something that has been mentioned before.

[selmaS]

Pes cavus
High arch in foot of a person with a hereditary neuropathy
High arch (also high instep, pes cavus in medical terminology) is a human foot type in which the sole of the foot is distinctly hollow when bearing weight. That is, there is a fixed plantar flexion of the foot. A high arch is the opposite of a flat foot, and somewhat less common.

The term pes cavus encompasses a broad spectrum of foot deformities. Three main types of pes cavus are regularly described in the literature: pes cavovarus, pes calcaneocavus and ‘pure’ pes cavus. The three types of pes cavus can be distinguished by their aetiology, clinical signs and radiological appearance .
Pes cavovarus, the most common type of pes cavus, is seen primarily in neuromuscular disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and in cases of unknown aetiology, conventionally termed as ‘idiopathic’ . Pes cavovarus presents with the calcaneus in varus, the first metatarsal plantarflexed and a claw-toe deformity . Radiological analysis of pes cavus in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease shows the forefoot is typically plantarflexed in relation to the rearfoot .
In the pes calcaneocavus foot, which is seen primarily following paralysis of the triceps surae due to poliomyelitis, the calcaneus is dorsiflexed and the forefoot is plantarflexed . Radiological analysis of pes calcaneocavus reveals a large talo-calcaneal angle. In ‘pure’ pes cavus the calcaneus is neither dorsiflexed or in varus, and is highly-arched due to a plantarflexed position of the forefoot on the rearfoot . A combination of any or all of these elements can also be seen in a ‘combined’ type of pes cavus that may be further categorized as flexible or rigid . Despite various presentations and descriptions of pes cavus, all are characterised by an abnormally high medial longitudinal arch, gait disturbances and resultant foot pathology

[jacmurphy]

Thanks Selma.
He hurt his ankle a few weeks ago and had to have it xrayed. They took quiet a few xrays and told us try not to worry but they'll get back to us. They never got back to us. I'm now wondering if this if what they too found.

[rod44]

This is interesting. Thanks for posting that info Selma.
I dont have problem with my arches that I know of but I was born with club toes.The toe on each foot next to my big toes are shaped like hammers. They have been like this as long as I can remember
I also have noticed problems with my ankle joints seizing up when I walk, gets very tight and painful. This started a few months ago but now if I walk for a short distance I need to stop and rest. Doctors checked for circulation problems but everything was OK so they think it is a nerve problem.

Ray

[selmaS]

What I found interesting is the connection with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.....I know Jackie that ur son is dealing with a lot they do not want to associate with chiari, and I heard of only a very few others mention this condition as well, so it makes me wonder if this could be an underlying issue for him.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Charcot-Marie-Tooth is one of the most common inherited nerve-related disorders. Defects in at least 14 genes cause different forms of this disease.

The disease involves damage to the covering (myelin sheath) around nerve fibers. In some, the disease causes destruction of the myelin sheath. In others, the central (axon) portion of the nerve cell wears away.

Nerves that stimulate movement (the motor nerves) are most severely affected. The nerves in the legs are affected first and most severely.

Symptoms

Symptoms usually begin between mid-childhood and early adulthood. They may include:

Foot deformity (very high arch to feet)

Foot drop (inability to hold foot horizontal)

Loss of lower leg muscle, which leads to skinny calves

Numbness in the foot or leg

"Slapping" gait (feet hit the floor hard when walking)

Weakness of the hips, legs, or feet

Later, similar symptoms may appear in the arms and hands, which may include a claw-like hand deformity.

Signs and tests

A physical exam may show:

Difficulty lifting up the foot and making toe-out movements

Lack of stretch reflexes in the legs

Loss of muscle control and atrophy (shrinking of the muscles) in the foot or leg

Thickened nerve bundles under the skin of the legs

A muscle biopsy or nerve biopsy may confirm the diagnosis. Nerve conduction tests are often done to tell the difference between different forms of the disorder.

Genetic testing is available for most forms of the disease.

[jacmurphy]

Thanks Selma. :)
God.. If  I go back in asking them to test for more things they'll send me to a shrink! lol
Laughing and crying at the same time. What a difference 15 months makes. But I'll watch and I'll get any test he needs to make sure he can have as normal a life as possible.

[selmaS]

U r welcome Jackie, I wasn't sure if this was ruled out.......