I need help for my high arches!

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The excessively high-arched (equinus) foot is often the most problematic and difficult to treat, but I don't hear a word of actual diagnosis in your comments, and I think that's the place to start. Many persons with such a foot structure have pain in the ball and heel of the foot due to the fact that these are the only areas of the foot which come into contact with the weight bearing surface and they must bear the entire weight of the body. Also common is an exceptionally tight heel chord and its extension, which is the plantar fascia. Non-reducible severe hammertoes are also part of this scenario. Conservative treatment of an equinus foot is often a non-fancy filler-in sort of basic "arch support" the effect of which is to bring the entire weight-bearing surface up to the foot. However, because the high-arch foot is problematic for shoe fitting, as both its structure and the general inability for it to depress on weight-bearing results in irritation and pressure from the vamp of the shoe and this is made worse by placing anything in the shoe under the foot. So there is a revolving door aspect to treatment attempts. There is also surgery available to reconfigure the profile of the foot, but this is not often done except with very severe deformities.

You have made it a point to point out each time you have been charged after buying the orthotics and I personally think that it is improper to sell anyone anything, whether it be an appliance for the body or something mechanical for non-medical usage and then charge additionally to make it do what the seller said it would do. I also know that there are many podiatrist who sell orthotics to just about every patient they see. I think that the basic problem here is that you are being led to believe that successful treatment of your condition is more certain than statistics will back up. I don't know of anyone who has the magic answer no matter how much you pay.

 

Thank you Foot Doc.

I visited my current Podiatrist for the LAST time on Wednesday, and I asked him for my formal diagnosis. He said he believes that I have tenosynovitis, and mild pes cavus. He said I had equinus when I first came in, but now i have much more mobility in my foot. He said that because I can now bend my foot back sufficiently past 90 degrees that I no longer suffer from equinus (this made the least sense to me). I told him about the new pain in my ankles (mostly on the right one, just below the bone) and the new pain in my right knee (on the inner side). He said that the orthotics fit properly and that they were doing their job. He said that the continued pain in the foot, and the new pain in the knee and the ankle were because I hadn't properly stopped "the cycle of inflammation". So he prescribed to me a 6 day series of anti-inflammatories. I forget the name of them, but the are the ones that you take 6 the first day, 5 the second, 4 the 3rd, etc, for 6 days. He said that once I have broken the "cycle of inflammation" that I should be back to normal. Well, I think that he is full of BS, but I have yet found a podiatrist (excluding you) that I didn't feel was full of BS, but I am going to go through with the anti-inflammatories for 6 days, and then, if the pain still persists, I will go to a new podiatrist. Again, if anyone in the SoCal area is reading this, and you know of a real podiatrist, or a real orthopedist that specializes in feet, please let me know their name. Any additional info/advice you can give me, FootDoc, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

I have developed hammertoes which rub and become inflamed when I wear tight fitting shoes so I finally went to a podiatrist. He took X-rays to see if there was anything causing the hammertoes and found that I have fallen arches. He showed me the X-rays so that I could see that they were indeed fallen. He recommended orthotics, and I am lucky that my insurance will pay for most of the cost so I ordered some.

The orthotics have just arrived. The instructions recommend adjusting to them by wearing them for one hour the first day and then adding an hour every day until I am wearing them full-time. The instructions say that it has taken years to develop the problem and we are trying to teach our body to work in a new way. This makes sense to me so I am trying to break them in gradually.

The podiatrist recommended that I look for shoes with a wide toe-box such as Merrells, Danskos, Eccos, Keens, and Asics tennis shoes. These are all brands that I have already been wearing to try to keep my toes from rubbing.

He also recommended a product called Silipads which are gel-covered tubes that can be cut to fit over my toes when I am walking so they won't rub. So far these have made a big difference for me.

The podiatrist said wearing the orthotics won't actually cure my fallen arches or my hammertoes, but will help to stabilize them. I plan to follow his directions, because years ago I visited a podiatrist (a different one) and had good luck getting rid of a neuroma by wearing an orthotic. Because it quit bothering me and the orthotic was getting worn out, I quit wearing it. But I think I made a mistake in not replacing my running shoes last year and trying to get an extra year out of them. Now I am paying the price so I plan to wear the orthotics faithfully to see if that makes a difference.

 

Dear High Arch Suffers,
I understand your pain. I was on a rollercoaster ride of intermittent arch and tendon pain for over 8 years. I have spent thousands of dollars on PRP, physical therapy, custom orthotics, etc. I gave up on doctors and spent many hours researching the topic of high arches.

When I finally realized the connection between equinus and arch pain, I realized the real source of my problems was my high arches. I decided to create my own orthotic that would reach up to the high arch and in effect push up that area to relieve the pain.

Well, the good news is that I did it and it worked. I took my cushiony Profoot 2/3 purple orthotic and taped a sturdy, black plastic spoon to the area that meets the arch. First, break off the handle of the spoon and using postal tape sit the plastic hill on top of the orthotic.

This method of arch management has allowed me to be in control and not the pain of high arches. Often, I wear minimal flat shoes or sandals, but when the arches become uncomfortable, I slip in the purple orthotics with the taped spoon hill for relief.

I also have other tricks in my arsenal for feet and tendon discomfort, but the spoon trick has made a huge difference in my life. Instead of my arch pain controlling me, I control my arches.

Best of luck,
MEB

 

All my life I have pain in my feet, I suffer from covus feet {high Arches} I sepend lots of money in insoles that were not very effective, until I found in Mark's Soft Soles for High Arches for 39:99 and now I am happy they take the pain away I am 72 years old female and pray that Mark's always will have them for sale, I have one pair in my runners at home, one pair and my boots and 2 pair in the closet for my summer shoes.

 

What are the other tricks?