Pes cavus (pess KAY-vus) is a foot with an abnormally high arch that does not flatten out when weight is placed on it. Because the arch stays raised, more pressure falls on the ball and heel during standing and walking. A high arch is often considered a hallmark of CMT, though it is not universal, and the opposite, pes planus or flat foot, can also occur in the disease. A high arch can also signal an underlying neurologic disease, which is part of why it draws attention in CMT.
A Name That Does Too Much Work
Jean-Martin Charcot's name appears throughout medicine, but nowhere does it create more confusion than in the foot. Learn why the CMT foot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, also known as Charcot foot, share a name yet differ in how they develop, appear, and are managed.
