A clubfoot is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. The foot affected looks like it is rotated internally at the ankle. If a person doesn't get treatment for clubfoot, the person will appear to walk on their ankles or the sides of their feet. Clubfoot is a very common birth defect, affecting 1 in every 1,000 live births. Males are more prone to have this deformity than women. The ratio is 2:1.
Causes of Clubfoot
Genetic factors increase this deformity depending upon family history.
Breech presentation is another known cause, where the baby is born feet first.
Treatment of Clubfoot
Podiatrists treat clubfoot with manipulation. Braces, serial casting, or splints are used to hold the feet in orthodox positions and should begin within two weeks of birth. Even with successful treatment, the foot may be smaller than the other. In stretching and casting therapy, Podiatrists changes the cast multiple times over a few weeks to gradually stretch the tendons until the foot is in the correct position.
Another treatment is surgery. Tenotomy, which is the clipping of the Achilles tendon is needed in 80% of cases. Anterior Tibial Tendon Transfer, where the tendon is moved from the first toe to the third toe in order to release the inward traction on the foot is needed in 20% of cases.
Image by Richard Masoner. (2006). clubfeet. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/213777216/
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