Pes Planus
Pronunciation: pez PLAY-nus
A foot deformity characterised by a reduced or absent medial longitudinal arch, commonly described as flatfoot, which may be flexible or rigid.
Full Definition
Pes planus (Latin: 'flat foot') is a structural foot type in which the medial longitudinal arch is lower than normal or absent, causing the plantar surface of the foot to make broad contact with the ground. It is the clinical and editorial opposite of pes cavus. The condition may be flexible (correctable on toe-standing) or rigid. Editors should ensure pes planus is not confused with tibialis posterior dysfunction, which is an acquired and pathological cause of flatfoot in adults. The term appears in roman type in most modern clinical orthotics documents.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from tibialis posterior dysfunction, which is a pathological adult-onset cause of flatfoot, not a structural foot type. Roman type preferred in clinical documents.
In Context
- "Flexible pes planus in children is commonly managed with supportive orthoses to guide normal arch development." — Pediatric orthotics report
- "The copy referred to 'pes planus' and 'flatfoot' interchangeably, which is acceptable, but consistency within the document should be maintained." — Proofreading note