Adult Cavovarus Foot

Adult cavovarus foot is the result of an imbalance of muscle forces, usually from motor sensory neuropathies. It is seldom seen at birth, but the deformity becomes apparent as the child, or the deformity grows. Other causes include cerebral palsy, cerebral injury (stroke), anterior horn cell disease (spinal root injury), talar neck injury, and residual clubfoot.
In this foot deformity, the strong peroneus longus and tibialis posterior muscles cause the hindfoot varus and forefoot varus (pronated) position. Hindfoot varus causes overload of the border of the foot, which results in ankle instability, stress fractures, and peroneal tendonitis. In overloaded joints, degenerative arthritis can develop. Claw toes may also be a symptom of this deformity.
Your podiatrist will do a gait examination, which allows for the planning of tendon transfers to correct the stance and swing-phrase deficits. They will also inspect the forefoot and hindfoot to determine the need for soft-tissue release and osteotomy. The Coleman block test assesses the cause of hindfoot varus.
Oddly enough, prolonged use of orthotics and supportive shoes can result in muscle imbalance, creating the deformity and causing irreversible damage to the tendons and joints. Your doctor will have to rebalance the tendons to avoid deterioration of the foot. Muscle imbalance can be rectified by tendon transfer, corrective osteotomy, and fusion.
If you have cavovarus foot, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
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