Clubfoot

Clubfoot, a congenital foot deformity describing a foot that is twisted inward and downward, occurs in one of about every 1,000 children, often more commonly in boys. Clubfoot affects the bones, muscles, tendons, and blood vessels in one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) feet. Along with a deformed foot, the leg on the affected side may be shorter, the calf thinner, and the foot smaller. Siblings of affected children have a slightly increased chance of the occurrence.

Clubfoot can also occur as part of neurologic and muscle diseases, including myelodysplasia, arthrogryposis, hip dysplasia, and torticollis.

Treatment of clubfoot requires early correction and maintenance of correction throughout the child’s growth using casting, bracing, and/or surgery. Sometimes, clubfoot can be corrected with several weeks of serial casting. Braces can be used to stretch soft tissues prior to their surgical release, maintain the corrected foot post-operatively after removal of a cast, aid in comfort walking, or provide an alternative to serial casting. Surgery may be necessary to improve foot position and is usually performed during infancy. Persistent cases may require more surgical correction in later childhood and adolescence. Surgical correction also requires six to 12 weeks of casting while the foot is healing.