CAVUS FOOT

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Comprehensive Support for Families of Children with Cavus Foot

Dealing with cavus foot in children can be challenging, but rest assured, there is a wide array of support available for families navigating this journey.

Expert Care and Guidance

From the initial consultation to regular follow-ups, healthcare teams are dedicated to providing personalized and continuous care. They ensure both you and your child are well-informed about the condition and the various treatment options. This empowers you to make informed decisions that best suit your family’s needs.

Educational Resources

Understanding cavus foot is crucial for managing it effectively. Medical teams offer educational support, helping you grasp the intricacies of the condition, treatment plans, and potential outcomes. You’re equipped with the knowledge needed to support your child confidently.

Emotional and Practical Support

Navigating medical treatments can be emotionally taxing. Emotional support services, including counseling and therapy, are available to help your family cope with stress. Additionally, support groups provide a community of families experiencing similar challenges, offering empathy and advice.

Access to Additional Services

Families also benefit from access to various resources designed to ease the burden. These include:

• Child Life Specialists: Experts who make hospital experiences less intimidating for children.
• Family Resource Centers: These centers offer a wealth of information and connect you to helpful services.
• Guest Services: Available to assist with logistics, making hospital visits smoother and more convenient.

By taking advantage of these comprehensive resources, families can better manage the complexities of cavus foot and focus on the well-being of their child.

Comprehensive Resources for Children with Foot and Ankle Conditions

Navigating a child’s foot or ankle condition can be challenging for the entire family. To make this journey smoother, a variety of resources and expert support are available, ensuring both seamless care and understandable guidance throughout the treatment process.

Holistic Support for Families

• Personalized Care Plans
  A dedicated team works closely with you to create a custom care plan, emphasizing clear communication about your child’s condition and treatment options. This empowers you to make informed decisions that best suit your family’s needs.
• Educational Resources
  Specialists provide educational materials and consultations to help you and your child fully understand the intricacies of the condition and associated treatments.

Family-Centric Services

• Child Life Specialists
  These professionals are trained to assist children in coping with the challenges of medical visits and treatments by providing emotional support and therapeutic activities.
• Family Support Centers
  Equipped with information and resources, these centers offer families a space to gather insights, connect with support groups, and find answers to their questions.
• Guest Services
  Ensuring your visit is as stress-free as possible, guest services may assist with navigation, accommodation information, and any specific needs you might have during each visit.

Whether you’re seeking specific medical guidance or need a supportive ear, these resources are designed to make your child’s treatment journey as supportive and informative as possible.

Causes

The following neurological illnesses or other problems are frequently caused by high arches:

• Polio
• Muscular dystrophy
• Stroke
• Spina bifida
• Cerebral palsy
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Your doctor must determine the root of your child’s high arches so that an effective treatment strategy can be developed. A neurological condition that results in cavus foot is likely to get worse over time. If it is genetically based, it most likely won’t change.

Diagnosing Cavus Foot

Initially, at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, we ask your child to stand while we look for cavus foot symptoms on their feet. We frequently want to evaluate the feet of parents and other family members as well since cavus foot tends to run in families. We also look for:

• The health of your child’s legs, ankles, feet, and toes since cavus foot frequently coexists with disorders that cause weak muscles.
• Verify the flexibility and proper form of your child’s spine.
• Leg and abdominal reflexes of your child (abdomen).

If we discover that your child has cavus foot, we will begin to investigate the underlying cause. Our orthopedic specialists collaborate closely with neurologists to ensure a comprehensive approach. This may involve several diagnostic tests, such as:

• Electromyogram and Nerve Conduction Velocity (EMG/NCV) Studies: These tests evaluate the electrical activity in nerves and muscles, helping to identify any neuromuscular disorders.
• Blood Test for Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT): This genetic blood test checks for markers of CMT, a common cause of cavus foot.
• MRI of the Spine and Brain: Magnetic resonance imaging provides a detailed view of the spine and brain, highlighting any structural issues that might contribute to the condition.

With these comprehensive evaluations and tests, we aim to accurately diagnose the cause of the cavus foot, enabling us to tailor a treatment plan specific to your child’s needs.

Comprehensive Resources for Children with Foot and Ankle Conditions

Navigating a child’s foot or ankle condition can be challenging for the entire family. To make this journey smoother, a variety of resources and expert support are available, ensuring both seamless care and understandable guidance throughout the treatment process.

Holistic Support for Families

• Personalized Care Plans
  A dedicated team works closely with you to create a custom care plan, emphasizing clear communication about your child’s condition and treatment options. This empowers you to make informed decisions that best suit your family’s needs.
• Educational Resources
  Specialists provide educational materials and consultations to help you and your child fully understand the intricacies of the condition and associated treatments.

Family-Centric Services

• Child Life Specialists
  These professionals are trained to assist children in coping with the challenges of medical visits and treatments by providing emotional support and therapeutic activities.
• Family Support Centers
  Equipped with information and resources, these centers offer families a space to gather insights, connect with support groups, and find answers to their questions.
• Guest Services
  Ensuring your visit is as stress-free as possible, guest services may assist with navigation, accommodation information, and any specific needs you might have during each visit.

Whether you’re seeking specific medical guidance or need a supportive ear, these resources are designed to make your child’s treatment journey as supportive and informative as possible.

Treatment Options

The underlying reason for high arches will decide what kind of medical care your child will receive. Based on your child’s current state, the flexibility of your child’s arch, and any success with non-surgical methods, a doctor will establish a diagnosis. Additionally, surgery can make your child’s foot more stable and prevent imbalances from developing when the stronger muscles try to make up for your weaker ones.

Understanding your child’s unique development is key. Children and teens are still growing, so their treatment must account for growth plates and developing structures. This ensures that interventions are not only effective but also safe for their growing bodies.
High arches come in a variety of cases. When it comes to surgical treatments, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A surgeon will assess your child’s particular situation and provide a recommendation. In situations of inherited high arches, one operation is typically sufficient to address the issue.

Holistic approach

A comprehensive approach is crucial. We consider not just the foot and ankle but the entire body, including legs, spine, and even nerve-related issues that might contribute to the condition. This holistic view helps in crafting a tailored treatment plan that addresses all potential factors.
Safety is paramount, especially in diagnostic imaging. Utilizing advanced low-dose radiation techniques ensures that your child receives the safest level of care possible during necessary imaging procedures. This attention to detail safeguards their health while providing clear, accurate diagnostic images.

If your child has high arches as a result of a neurological condition, he or she could require more than one operation to adequately correct the problem. More strain is placed on the feet as a result of high arches, which may cause unpleasant sensations. Finding shoes that fit properly might be difficult for those with high arches. In certain instances, the disorder might cause impairment. For those with high arches, there are several treatment options available. Your child’s foot flexibility is one of the variables that will determine the best approach. Following are some options for cavus foot treatment:

How Do Specialists Collaborate to Treat Cavus Foot?

When it comes to treating cavus foot in children, a team-based approach ensures comprehensive care. Specialists from different medical fields come together to provide the best possible treatment.

Close Collaboration for Accurate Diagnosis

• Orthopedic Surgeons and Neurologists: These professionals work hand in hand to identify the underlying cause of cavus foot. By combining their expertise, they ensure that no detail is overlooked during diagnosis.
• Consultation with Additional Experts: After pinpointing the root cause, orthopedic surgeons may consult with other specialists, such as physiotherapists or pediatricians, to tailor a treatment plan.

Comprehensive Treatment Plans

• Interdisciplinary Approaches: The treatment plan often involves a blend of surgical and non-surgical methods. Each specialist contributes their knowledge to outline a strategy designed specifically for the child’s needs.
• Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment: The team regularly reviews the child’s progress. This allows them to make timely adjustments to the treatment plan, ensuring optimal outcomes.

By fostering a collaborative environment, these specialists ensure that every aspect of the child’s condition is addressed, paving the way for more effective treatment and recovery.

Discovering New Frontiers in Cavus Foot Treatment

Research plays a pivotal role in enhancing the understanding and treatment of cavus foot. By harnessing cutting-edge studies and collaborative efforts, medical professionals can offer more precise and effective care for individuals with this condition.

Global Collaborative Efforts

A vital component of improving cavus foot treatment is international collaboration. Specialists worldwide participate in focused research groups to study foot and ankle anomalies. This collective approach facilitates the sharing of insights and innovations, ensuring advancements in treatment protocols.

Innovative Diagnostic and Treatment Techniques

Continual research leads to the development of better diagnostic tools and treatment methodologies. By exploring new strategies to manage cavus foot, researchers can discover techniques that are less invasive and more effective, ultimately improving patient outcomes significantly.

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Outcomes research is crucial for evaluating the success of various treatment options. By utilizing tools that gather feedback directly from patients, such as post-surgical function assessments, healthcare providers can tailor treatments to meet individual needs. This patient feedback loop is indispensable for refining treatments that genuinely enhance quality of life.

Data-Driven Insights Through Registries

Participation in extensive patient registries accumulates valuable data from volunteers with various orthopedic conditions, including cavus foot. These databases are instrumental in providing insights into condition patterns and treatment efficacy, empowering doctors globally to refine their approaches based on real-world information.

Ongoing research efforts thus ensure that treatment for cavus foot is always evolving, benefiting from an amalgamation of expert collaboration, innovative techniques, and patient-focused feedback.

Canvus Foot Non-Surgical Treatment

Orthotics

In order to provide extra cushioning and support your child’s foot in a more advantageous posture, you may add inserts to his or her shoes. The second source of additional hindfoot support is high-topped footwear or ankle boots. If your child has high arches, it’s critical to wear supportive, comfy shoes. There is no best shoe for this condition, and parents need to find a good one for their child.  Ensure that the shoe you choose offers additional cushioning and support. A custom-made insert can help reduce pain. Even though orthotics are available over the counter, getting a tailored pair will yield the optimum benefits.

Bracing

In rare circumstances, your doctor may advise using bracing for the foot and ankle to reduce the symptoms of a high arch.

Night splints

This technique assists in stretching calf muscles and arches as your child sleeps. If your child suffers from plantar fasciitis due to high arches, this is extremely useful.

Icing

Icing your child’s feet might help ease pain and inflammation. Every two to three hours, try ice to the arches of your child’s feet for about twenty minutes.

Pain relievers

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), which are available over the counter, can reduce pain and swelling.

Cavus Foot Surgery

The purpose of surgery is to enhance your child’s foot’s functionality, lessen pain, and lower the likelihood of additional problems that are typical in cavus feet, like ankle sprains. There are several surgical techniques available to treat cavus feet. The surgeon for your kid will go through the best alternatives for treating your child’s specific condition. Surgeons can fix a bone malformation, a muscle imbalance, or an ankle looseness to help the foot bear weight more evenly. Furthermore, surgeons can perform minimally invasive methods, which result in smaller scars and quicker healing times. Surgeons use various surgical techniques to treat cavus feet, including:

• Relocating the bone connecting to the big toe and moving the heel bone back beneath the foot
• Shifting the muscles that are causing your child’s feet to turn outward
• Soft tissue release
• Tendon transfer

Soft-tissue surgery

An over-pull of one of the lateral ankle muscles contributes to the cavus foot. On the outside of the ankle, this tendon may be released. This tendon can also be transferred to assist rectify the deformities of the ankle joint. Patients frequently complain of calf muscle discomfort. This might worsen the malformation or make a repair ineffective. It is treated by extending the Achilles tendon or a portion of the calf muscle. Also, this is frequently conducted by making one or more little cuts in the ankle or leg’s back.

Finally, the plantar fascia might be tight. Additionally, the plantar fascia is a cord-like formation on the end of your child’s foot that runs from the heel to the front part of the foot. A surgeon can perform a partial or complete release of the plantar fascia.

Joint fusion

Patients may have deformities that have harmed their joints. In certain circumstances, soft tissue operations or bone incisions would not be sufficient, and it could be essential to stop the joint from moving altogether. However, when addressing cavus foot, the primary objective is to correct issues without resorting to joint fusion. Preserving joint mobility is crucial for maintaining a range of movement and ensuring the foot functions naturally.

Additionally, balancing the muscles plays a vital role in reducing the risk of recurrence. By focusing on these key aspects, the treatment aims to not only rectify the deformity but also enhance long-term outcomes for patients, making sure the problem is less likely to happen again.

Dorsiflexion osteotomy of the first metatarsal

This technique flattens out the arch.

Tendon transfers

The deformity associated with a cavus foot is frequently caused by excessive pulling on a few muscles and tendons. It could be possible to improve the function of the foot by moving one of these muscles or tendons. Additionally, people with cavus feet may have a weakness when lifting their feet, a condition known as a foot drop. With these circumstances, a tendon from the rear of the ankle may be transferred to the top of the foot to aid in strengthening.

After Cavus Foot Surgery

Depending on how high your child’s arch is and whether it’s the consequence of an underlying ailment, it might lead to a variety of issues. Also, most of these problems are related to how high arches affect gait and standing. Hence, recovery from cavus foot surgery might take eight to twelve weeks. After the treatment, your child must refrain from placing any weight on his or her feet for at least six weeks. Ask your doctor how long it will take for your child to recuperate because recovery durations might differ greatly between people. Following cavus foot surgery, there might be problems, just as with other surgical operations. These dangers consist of:

• Allergy to the anesthesia.
• Heavy bleeding.
• Infection.
• Blood clots.
• Nerve damage.
• Blood vessel damage.
• Persistent pain after surgery

How Physical Therapy Aids Recovery After Cavus Foot Surgery

Cavus foot surgery is a significant step towards alleviating discomfort and improving mobility. However, the journey doesn’t end with the procedure itself. Post-surgery, physical therapy plays a crucial role in the recovery process, ensuring optimal rehabilitation and a return to everyday activities.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

• Enhancing Mobility: After surgery, regaining movement in your foot is vital. Physical therapists guide patients through exercises designed to improve range of motion and flexibility, helping to restore normal walking patterns.
• Strength Building: Surgery can weaken muscles, particularly if there has been a lengthy period of inactivity. Tailored strength training exercises help rebuild muscle, supporting the foot and reducing the risk of future injuries.
• Pain Management: Therapists often utilize techniques such as massage therapy and customized exercise routines to alleviate postoperative pain, making the recovery process more comfortable.
• Improving Balance and Coordination: With cavus foot, balance may have been an issue prior to surgery. Physical therapy focuses on exercises that enhance coordination and stability, reducing susceptibility to falls.
• Promoting Healing: Therapeutic activities are structured to boost circulation around the surgical site, accelerating healing and reducing swelling.

Steps in a Typical Physical Therapy Program

• Initial Assessment: The therapist conducts a thorough evaluation of the foot’s condition and the patient’s overall physical state post-surgery.
• Custom Exercise Plan: Based on the assessment, a personalized plan is developed. This includes exercises that cater to specific needs, focusing on both short-term recovery and long-term foot health.
• Regular Therapy Sessions: Consistent attendance at scheduled therapy sessions ensures proper guidance and adjustments to the rehabilitation program as needed.
• Home Exercise: Patients are usually provided with a set of exercises to perform at home, which reinforces the work done in therapy sessions and promotes continuous improvement.

Conclusion

Physical therapy is a critical component of postoperative care for cavus foot surgery patients. By focusing on mobility, strength, pain management, and overall foot health, physical therapy not only aids in recovery but also empowers patients to regain confidence in their movement abilities. With the support of skilled therapists, the journey back to a more active and comfortable life is effectively facilitated.

The Very Best of Care

Finally, orthopedic doctors at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists treat flat feet, high arches, and other foot problems using the most contemporary surgical and non-surgical technologies. Depending on how severe the foot deformity is, we can recommend a combination of conservative and surgical procedures in our treatment programs. Another key point, only children are treated at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, and we have offices in Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX.

Whenever feasible, we recommend and provide conservative treatments for foot problems that might provide comfort if the problem persists. Fortunately, our orthopedic doctors have a great deal of expertise with high-arch reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately, there may be several operations necessary, depending on the seriousness of your child’s problem.

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Footnote:

Foot Health Facts: Cavus Foot