Q: Can the arch of a foot be too high?

A: Absolutely. High-arched feet absorb shock poorly, which can place too much pressure on both the ball and the heel of the foot, leading to a premature thinning of the fat pad in these areas. This in turn can make the foot absorb shock even more poorly and can lead to the development of inflamed, pinched nerves on the bottom of the feet (neuromas). Excessively high weight bearing pressures are transmitted through the metatarsal bones behind the toes if the arch is too high. This can lead to the development of painful arthritis in the mid-portion of the foot. High arches are also frequently associated with the development of contractedtoes (hammertoes).