If you have feet with a very high arch, this can put too much weight on the ball of the foot and heel when standing and walking, causing pain and instability.
A high arched foot may be inherited but can also be caused by a number of medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke, polio or muscular dystrophy. Pain or instability when you stand or walk are common symptoms. If it is caused by a medical condition it’s likely to worsen over time. As well as looking abnormally high, people with high arched feet often have other foot problems including toe deformities, pain or instability when you stand or walk, rubbing or soreness on the heel, ball or side of your foot. Weakened muscles in the foot and ankle, known as ‘foot drop’ which affect the way you walk.
After discussing your medical history and checking for a high arch and other problems such as toe deformities, the specialist will usually test your muscle strength, gait (the way you walk) and coordination. In some cases, you may have X-rays to back up the diagnosis.
Non-operative treatment: you may be referred to our podiatrist for a biomechanical assessment and digital gait analysis, as well as orthotics and made to measure insoles.
Surgery: if non-operative treatment doesn’t help your symptoms, you may be offered surgery to help relieve pain and increase your stability and foot strength.
When someone refers to ‘shin splints’ this usually means any type of pain that is felt down the front of the lower legs (shins) after exercise. Although there can be several different causes, one of the most common is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), where the tissue that covers the shin bone becomes inflamed, often as a result of excessive exercise when the body isn’t used to it such as running (especially on a hard surface) and tennis where you suddenly increase the intensity or speed of the exercise.
Usually, a discussion of when the pain began is enough for the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.
You will be advised to switch to a sport that doesn’t cause pain or decrease the intensity of exercise, and to stop if it hurts. Running on a softer surface can also help.
Your doctor will usually advise taking anti-inflammatory pain relief and may also refer you to a physiotherapist or podiatrist for treatment and advice about specialist running shoes, orthotics and made to measure insoles, and a digital gait analysis.
17 Fitzhardinge Street
London
W1H 6EQ
0203 195 2442
If you are travelling by Tube, our closest underground stations are Bond Street and Baker Street. Should you be travelling by car, the pay-by-phone parking is relatively easy in the nearby roads as well as the option of multi-story car parks.
If you are attending clinic on a weekday, please be aware that we are based in the congestion charge zone.
We are open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 8.00pm, and Saturday mornings from 8.30am to 12.30pm.