What is vertical talus?

Also known as: congenital vertical talus, CVT.

Vertical talus is a deformity of the foot that appears as a severe case of flatfoot. It is present at birth. It’s called vertical talus because the talus bone, an ankle bone that connects the lower leg to the heel, points toward the ground. This causes the other bones of the feet and legs to be misaligned and leads to the extreme flatfoot, commonly known as rocker bottom foot.


What causes vertical talus?

Vertical talus is often tied to other medical conditions, such as spina bifida or several neurological conditions.


What are the symptoms of vertical talus?

At first, the physical presence of the turned ankle and flat feet are the only symptoms of vertical talus. If left untreated over time, however, vertical talus can cause pain, difficult walking, calluses, skin breakdown and other symptoms.


What are vertical talus care options?

Surgery is the primary treatment required to correct the problems related to vertical talus. Often, the doctor will recommend a series of stretches and casting to improve the flexibility of the feet and lessen the severity of the surgery that is required to correct the problem.


Reviewed by: Avi C Baitner, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM

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