Clubfoot refers to a deformity of the foot. It can occur as a result of a congenital birth defect or it can occur during childhood, resulting from unknown causes. Clubfoot causes the ankle of the affected foot to turn inward. This inward turning of the foot forces the individual to walk along the outside edge of the foot. The treatment methods for clubfoot consist of correcting the deformity and preventing long-term disabilities.
Stretching and Casting
According to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the preferred non-surgical treatment of clubfoot treats the affected foot by stretching and casting. The Ponseti method involves manipulating the foot into a correct position and then casting it to maintain that position. A doctor changes the cast every week, each time stretching the foot a little more toward the correct position. Repositioning and recasting occurs every week for several weeks until the shape of the foot assumes the correct alignment, notes MayoClinic.com.
Braces
The doctor usually recommends braces to help the foot maintain its correct position after stretching and casting places it in proper alignment. MayoClinic.com recommends wearing the brace for two years so that the foot doesn't return to its original position.
Surgery
Severe cases of clubfoot may require surgery, especially if stretching and casting doesn't correct the abnormal foot position, reports Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Surgical treatment of clubfoot does correct the problem, but it often leads to a stiffer joint in later years. The orthopedic surgeon corrects the abnormality by adjusting the joints, ligaments and tendons in the affected foot and ankle. The surgery places the foot into more of a normal position, states John Hopkins Orthopaedic Surgery. The doctor applies a cast to the foot and ankle after surgery so that they remain immobile and heal in the proper position.
Corrective Shoes
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center recommends corrective shoes after surgery. The special shoes are worn for a year after surgery and they ensure that the muscle of the foot doesn't pull back into an abnormal position. A deformity of the foot and calf muscle can still remain even after surgery and the wearing of corrective shoes, notes John Hopkins Orthopaedic Surgery. The deformity that remains, however, rarely changes the overall functional ability.
