Subtle Cavovarus Foot: A Missed Risk Factor for Chronic Foot and Ankle Pathologies

This literature review investigated the subtle cavovarus foot with a search in Pubmed and Google Scholar using the following keywords: Subtle cavovarus foot, cavovarus foot or cavus foot and one or more of the following: Associations, injuries, ankle sprains, ankle instability, sports, plantar pressure, dynamic pedobarography, Tekscan and footprint, from January 1980 to February 2019. Subtle cavovarus foot can alter foot and ankle biomechanics but reference values are lacking for dynamic pedobarography assessment. Subtle cavovarus foot is associated with peroneal tendinopathy, metatarsal stress fractures, and recurrent lateral ankle sprains, potentially leading to chronic ankle instability due to altered walking central control patterns. Treatment includes flexible/semi-rigid orthotics to laterally offload the foot, or surgery in rigid cases. Subtle cavovarus foot is associated with chronic foot and ankle pathologies. Unfortunately, diagnosis is often difficult or delayed. Early conservative management, with appropriate foot orthotics, favors a safer return to sports. Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT): B Level of evidence: Level IV clinical review