Clubfoot (aka talipes equinovarus) is a congenital deformity involving 1 foot or both. The affected foot appears to have been rotated internally at the ankle.

Patient information

What's clubfoot? It sounds a bit like happy feet ?
It's a congenital defmority. It can affect either 1 or both feet. So what happens is that it becomes rotated inwards, towards the midline and up.

• Feet turned outward and toes pointed up, including:
  • Talipes calcaneus, where the foot is fully dorsiflexed, almost touching the anterior part of th eleg, and the strongly marked heel seems to be the direct extension of the leg
  • Talipes calcaneovalgus, less frequent deformity in which the foot points up on the anterior-external side of the leg, and the sole of the foot is facing outward
  • Convex pes valgus, rare deformity associated with equinus of the rearfoot and dorsiflexion of tehf orefoot
• Feet turned inward, including:
  • Talipes equinovarus, is where the foot is sharply turned inward, such that the sole faces rearward when the knee is correctly aligned forward
  • Metatarsus adductus, the inward bending of the metatarsal bones and toes
  • Pes supinatus, where the sole of the foot faces inward and the dorsal part of the foot is oriented externally

Source: Buffalo

• Looking at the foot, immediately afer birth
• X-ray, of the foot/feet, to examine how the internal structures are positioned
• U/S, to detect the disease prior to birth, in some cases. It may be more prominent if both feet are affected

• Ponseti method, involving manipulation, with serial casting and then providing braces to hold the feet in a plantigrade position. After serial casting, a foot abduction brace e.g. Denis Browne bar with straight lace boots, ankle foot orthoses, or custom foot orthoses may be used
• Surgery, may be the only option to correct the foot after trying all other non-invasive methods for Tx

• The ability to identify clubfoot before birth can be beneficial to the child, as different Tx can be explored
• Tx should be given immediately after Dx, to take full advantage of the flexibility in the baby's bones and joints. This allows for improved manipulation to try to achieve a normal foot
• Without Tx, Pt's often appear to walk on their ankles or the sides of their feet
• WIth Tx, the vast majority of Pt's recover completely during early childhood, and are able to walk and participate in athletics as well as Pt's born w/o clubfoot

• Relatively common birth defect, occurring in 0.1% of live births
• 50% of Pt's with clubfoot have it affected both feet
• Occurs in males twice as frequently as in females

• Newborn exam
• Pigeon toe