THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PES-CAVUS AND IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

Study Design. The incidence of pes cavus and scoliosis was studied in three groups of patients. Group A contained 130 patients with idiopath ic scoliosis, Group C contained 210 patients with idiopathic pes cavus , and Group B (control) contained 200 patients of similar age. Objecti ves. To investigate the joint presentation of pes cavus and idiopathic scoliosis, because both deformities may share a common etiology linke d to muscle imbalance. Summary of Background Data. Sixty five percent of Group A patients (85 of 130) had an abnormally high plantar arch, c ompared to only 9.5% (19 of 200) of Group B control subjects. Nine per cent (20 of 210) of the patients in Group C had scoliosis curves, comp ared to only four patients in Group B. Methods. Radiographs were taken to determine the type of scoliosis curve, its location, and its magni tude, and to identify the incidence of spina bifida occulta in the thr ee groups. The incidence and degree of pes cavus were established by m eans of foot prints. Statistical analyses were performed on all result s. Results. A statistically significant relationship (P < 0.01) was fo und for the incidence of pes cavus between Group A (scoliosis) and Gro up B (control), and for the incidence of scoliosis between Group C (pe s cavus) and Group B (control). No statistical significance was observ ed for the other relationships investigated (sex, curve location, magn itude, spina bifida). Conclusions. There was a significant correlation between scoliosis and pes cavus-spina bifida was not an etiologic fac tor. Therefore, in certain patients where scoliosis and pes cavus pres ent jointly, deformity may be secondary to altered balance or to disor ders of the central nervous system.