Also known as pes cavus, high arch refers to a condition where your feet’s arch is higher than normal. Since the condition affects the structure of your foot, it can make it difficult to wear normal footwear. In many cases, the condition also causes foot pain, which is felt in the heels and balls of your feet.

Pes cavus is a problematic condition for everyone. But it is even more worrisome for those who want to adopt running as active exercise. If you fall under the same category, you may find it highly stressful to enjoy running with a high arch.

Fortunately, following a few choice tips can help you manage your high arch as a runner. To support you on your journey to cope with pes cavus, here are 5 tips for runners with high arches.

1. Loosen Your Laces

Since a high arch can affect the tendons of your feet, it’s important that you give your feet ample room to relax. This is even more important when you adopt running as an exercise routine. In such a case, your feet need sufficient relaxation from all the pressure that is placed on them during your swift movements.

Keeping this in mind, wearing shoes with loose laces can go a long way. If you feel that you are not able to gain sufficient traction with loosened footwear, make it a point to untighten your shoelaces as soon as you are done running.

2. Wear Special Footwear

Loosening your laces while maintaining your focus on running is quite a difficult task. That’s where special footwear can help. By looking into the best shoes for high arches, you can ensure to keep your mind off of any worries during your run.

Since these shoes are specifically designed for feet with high arches, they can adapt to your running and mobility routines without any issues. This ensures that you don’t have to keep looking at your feet every now and then. Instead, you can save those gazes for your fitness activity tracker to see how your running is benefiting you.

3. Use an Arch Insert

Since exercising can help with reducing stress, investing in some special footwear goes beyond physical fitness. But there might be times where high arch shoes may not fit with your outfit. That is when you need to explore options such as arch inserts that can be installed in any type of shoes.

Whether you are wearing a tailored suit or a power blazer with a sharp skirt, wearing shoes with arch inserts can provide you with the comfort you need. But it is important to remember that these orthotic devices may not provide as much relaxation as special footwear, which is why they should be worn only when absolutely necessary. There are other areas of the foot that could need pads as well, such as metatarsal pads which are a great option also. 

4. Explore Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is often recommended for pes cavus. Under this approach, feet with high arches undergo special exercise regimes. By following these routines, you can relax your tendons and improve their response to pressure. This helps your feet ‘ muscles to become more adaptable to your running.

Similar to the benefits of massage therapy, physical therapy can help you with stretching, flexibility, and pain relief. By reaching out to a qualified expert, you can take advantage of a personalized approach that specifically addresses your high arch issue. This works wonders in helping you maintain your running routines with pes cavus.

5. Look Into Pain Relieving Products

In many cases of high arches, pain management is a top priority for those who are living with this condition. This usually refers to over-the-counter pain relievers. However, in order to make sure that you are not taking too much medicine on a consistent basis, looking into other approaches can be beneficial.

This includes but is not limited to the use of essential oils, pain relief lotions, foot pads, and temperature therapy. By discussing possible regimes with your physician, you can try an approach that suits your lifestyle and see if it works for you.

These tips help you continue running even while living with pes cavus. As a result, you can make sure that your high arch doesn’t get in the way of living your life to the fullest.