What it means
A medial arch higher than normal. Load shifts onto the heel and the metatarsal heads, and the foot absorbs shock less well.
Where it comes from
The longitudinal arch staying high under load, often with an inverted heel and a tight plantar fascia.
How it is measured
It is measured on the front view, in the sagittal plane. The defining measurement is archIndexR, and it is reported as a finding from above 0.31°. The number is computed from landmarks on that photograph — not estimated by eye, and not compared against a stock example.
What the numbers mean
| Measurement | Grade |
|---|---|
| up to 0.31° | Within normal range |
| 0.31–0.32° | Borderline arch |
| 0.32–0.35° | Cavus foot |
| 0.35° and above | Severely cavus foot |
Source of the bands: NNHt adult bands: 0.32-0.35 supinated, >0.35 highly supinated
What is usually seen alongside it
- How flat the inner arch is (Medial arch angle) — below undefined°
- How flat the inner arch is (Medial arch angle) — below undefined°
- Heel rolls inward (Rearfoot angle) — below undefined°
- Heel rolls inward (Rearfoot angle) — below undefined°
None of these is a diagnosis on its own. Together they corroborate the finding; apart, they do not refute it — a measurement nobody took counts neither for nor against.
What confirms it
A high, stiff arch deserves a look for a neurological cause; a one-sided or progressing cavus is a warning sign.
Every number on this page is measured on the skin surface in a photograph. That is not the same as a measurement taken on a radiograph: it correlates with one and does not replace it. Wherever the decision depends on imaging, this page and the report itself say so.
What happens at the clinic
The assessment starts with three standing photographs — front, side and back. Every angle is measured on those photographs, the report prints the number and the grade for each, and the exercise programme is built from those numbers rather than from a template. Posture analysis explains the whole path, and the online assessment can be started from your own photograph now.
Frequently asked questions
At what point is pes cavus (by arch height) reported?
When archindexr is above 0.31°, it is reported as a finding. That is where the "Borderline arch" band begins. The bands come from: NNHt adult bands: 0.32-0.35 supinated, >0.35 highly supinated
Can pes cavus (by arch height) be assessed from a photograph?
A photograph gives a number, which most assessments do not have. But it is a surface measurement and it does not replace imaging. A high, stiff arch deserves a look for a neurological cause; a one-sided or progressing cavus is a warning sign.
What is the most severe grade?
The worst band in this table is "Severely cavus foot". The grade is printed beside the measurement itself in the report, so it is always clear which number produced the word.