Club Feet Treatment

Club feet, most often referred to as clubfoot, is a condition in which the foot is turned inward, so that the toes face the opposite leg. People affected by clubfoot are born with the deformity, which can involve one or both feet. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons states in its publication "Your Orthopaedic Connection" that the cause of clubfoot is not always known, but that it may run in families. More boys than girls are born with clubfoot, at a rate of approximately 1 to every 1000 live births. A clubfoot is usually smaller and shorter than a normal foot and leg, but it can be treated to preserve mobility. Treatment includes both non-invasive and surgical methods.

Begin Early

• Detailed ultrasound makes it possible for you to know before your baby's birth that he will have clubfoot. If you are not aware of any problems prior to the birth, you will become aware of the condition right away at birth---clubfoot is easily diagnosed due to its highly recognizable symptoms. Planning treatment as early as possible can provide the best results for your child, and AAOS doctors recommend beginning treatment within the first couple of weeks of your baby's life. Early treatment can not only benefit your child physically, but can spare him emotional pain resulting from his looking "different" from his peers.

Casting

• Casting is the first treatment method used to correct clubfoot, as it is non-invasive and safe for children of all ages. Doctors manipulate the affected leg into a more normal position by stretching the ligaments. This type of casting is called the Ponseti method, and it is highly effective in most people. Casts are changed almost weekly in early treatment, in part due to the rapid pace at which babies grow. Each new cast is applied after a session of stretching the foot little by little into the correct posture. The Ponseti method is usually achieved in 8 to 12 weeks, at which point the final cast is applied, after cutting the Achilles tendon as a final positioning measure. Your child will wear the last cast for several weeks to allow for adequate healing.

Surgery

• In some cases, casting and stretching is not enough to keep the clubfoot in the correct position, and surgery is required. Rather than using a progressive approach as in casting, surgery can repair all of the clubfoot issues at one time. Ligaments and tendons are surgically repaired and placed in the correct position in order for the toes to face outward in a normal position. If your baby requires surgery to correct her clubfoot, aim for scheduling the procedure before she reaches her first birthday. This age is recommended in part to avoid developmental delays involving crawling and walking. Your child will wear a cast after the surgery for a period of time specified by your doctor.

Bracing

• Children who have been treated for clubfoot may sometimes suffer a setback in which the foot starts to return to its inward position. Bracing is a form of preventive treatment that helps keep the newly corrected feet in position. Braces are worn all the time at first, and then at night only for several years. The braces are basically shoes set onto a bar that keeps the feet apart and in the desired position. Using the braces regularly is important, not only for the physical development of your child, but as part of a routine, so that your child comes to expect the braces every night.

Physical Therapy

• Your doctor may refer your child to a physical therapist, especially if he is in the usual age range for walking. A physical therapist will work with the underdeveloped muscles in your child's leg and help him learn to become mobile. People with clubfoot often have less flexibility in the affected foot, which can cause problems with stretching and walking.