How We Treat High Arches at The Body Lab

High Arches, Meet The Body Lab

At The Body Lab, we don’t just hand you an orthotic and send you on your way. We take high arches seriously—and personally. Why? Because high arches (pes cavus) don’t just stay in the foot. They ripple up the chain, affecting your knees, hips, spine, and even breathing patterns.

Our approach? Start from the ground up—literally—and treat the whole kinetic chain.

Step 1: The Assessment – No Crystal Balls, Just Real Data

We start with a full biomechanical assessment that includes:

• Video gait analysis (hello, slow-mo foot magic)

• Static and dynamic pressure mapping - pressreplate analysis used by Podiatrist

• Joint-by-joint range of motion testing

• Nervous system input testing (reflexes and proprioception)

• Clinical history of pain, instability, footwear struggles, and previous injuries

We’re not here to diagnose and disappear. We’re here to decode what your foot is doing and why it’s doing it.

Research confirms that gait deviations in pes cavus can lead to increased plantar pressure and mechanical strain on the forefoot and hindfoot regions (Burns et al., 2005) .

Step 2: What You’ll Learn in Your First Session

• Why your foot structure behaves like a stubborn goat (and how to coax it into better habits)

• How your toes, ankle, knee and even ribcage are compensating for your high arches

• Where your weight should actually be landing (and why it probably isn’t)

• Which areas need mobility (hint: it’s not just the foot)

• Why wedging your foot isn’t just a weird podiatrist party trick

We explain everything in human speak, so you leave empowered—not confused.

Step 3: Treatment That Works (Because Cookie-Cutter Doesn’t)

Wedge Work & Joint Repositioning

Using foam wedges and blocks, we shift your centre of mass to improve weight distribution and restore lost joint motion. These aren’t passive tools—you’ll feel the change immediately as your nervous system rewires new movement options.

Real-time movement cues and biomechanical repositioning have been shown to reduce plantar loading in high-arched individuals (Buldt et al., 2015) .

Gait Repatterning

We guide your body into pronation and supination (yes, even if you “don’t pronate”), retraining the nervous system to allow shock absorption and energy transfer.

Studies show altered gait mechanics in cavus feet result in less adaptable walking patterns, increasing injury risk (Franco, 1987) .

Strengthening & Stability Work

• Intrinsic foot muscles: toe curls, dome lifts, towel scrunches

• Ankle stabilisers: peroneal training, single-leg balance drills

• Hip and core: glute med, adductors, TVA, and breath coordination

This isn’t about bulking up—it’s about building resilience from sole to skull.

Footwear and Orthotics (When Needed)

While we prioritise active retraining, we don’t ignore the value of external support. We’ll guide you on:

• The best shoes for high arches (spoiler: not your ultra-minimalist runners)

• If custom orthotics are actually worth it (and when they’re not)

• Shoe hacks to improve fit and comfort for clawed toes or instability

What Our Clients Say

“I’ve had high arches all my life, but never realised how much they affected my hips and knees. Riccardo’s assessment totally changed how I walk—and I’m not in pain for the first time in years.”

— Sally, 54, trail walker and now arch-convert

Long-Term Change Starts with Awareness

Our work doesn’t end at the foot—it’s part of a bigger picture. We teach you how to move with your foot mechanics, not around them. Because when you restore mobility and feedback through the foot, your entire system breathes a sigh of relief.

So if your feet feel rigid, your balance is dodgy, or your shoes look like they’ve been in a turf war—book in. Your high arches aren’t going to fix themselves.

Book Your Initial Assessment at The Body Lab

Located in Canberra, we offer movement-based treatments for foot mechanics, chronic pain, and gait dysfunction. No gimmicks—just results.

🔗 Book Your Session Now

Missed the earlier posts? Catch up on what high arches really are and how they affect your whole body—because knowledge is the first step toward moving better.

References

1. Burns J, Crosbie J, Hunt A, Ouvrier R. The effect of pes cavus on foot pain and plantar pressure. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2005;20(9):877–882.

2. Buldt AK, Levinger P, Murley GS, Menz HB, Nester CJ, Landorf KB. Foot posture is associated with plantar pressure during gait: a comparison of normal, planus and cavus feet. Gait Posture. 2015;42(1):42–47.

3. Franco AH. Pes cavus and pes planus. Analyses and treatment. Phys Ther. 1987;67(5):688–694.