Rearfoot (Back of the foot) Deformities

Your basic foot type is inherited, what you do with it after you are born can lead to painful deformities. (i.e. sports, high heels, en Pointe dance, trauma, etc)

The Flat Foot

When you look at your foot you may notice a drop in arch or no arch at all. Painful flat or can make it difficult to walk and to find shoes. Dr. Schoenhaus will help you to find a comfortable but elegantly looking solution to your problems.

Having studied the flat foot extensively, Dr. Schoenhaus has a thorough understanding of the mechanics of the foot during locomotion and what needs to be done to control and/ or accommodate those deformities.

Manifestations of the flatfoot varies; runners present with heel pain, plantar fasciitis or shin splints. Women over 50 present with pain in the arch and along the inside of the ankle, commonly due to tendon dysfunction. Both men and women present with arthritis in the back of the foot and ankle. Other common problems include bunions, hammered toes, neuromas and pain in the ball of the foot.

The High Arched Foot

Often this foot type is more difficult to control than the flat foot. High arched foot types can be rigid and do not adapt to various terrains or they can be flexible and decreases in arch height during weight bearing. Both can lead to various foot deformities including arthritis in the great toe joint, pain in the back of the heel, arthritis in the back of the foot, bunions, heel pain, and loss of fat pad in the ball of the foot.

These manifestations can be controlled with an orthotic, if carefully made. Custom molded inserts for the shoes is best made through a plaster cast instead of walking on a computer mat or stepping in a foam box, as the practitioner can manipulate the high arched foot and can acquire appropriate measurements to fit you directly.

When looking for comfortable shoes, this can be a difficult. Try wearing a shoe with a small heel lift, roughly 1/2 inch. This will take pressure off of the Achilles tendon.