Clubfoot, scientifically known as talipes equinovarus, is the most common birth defect of otherwise healthy babies, according to the UCSF Children's Hospital. Although the specific cause of clubfoot is not completely understood, genetics is a factor. An article titled "Congenital Talipes Equinovarus (clubfoot): a Disorder of the Foot but not the Hand" published in the Journal of Anatomy reveals that 24 to 30 percent of clubfoot disorders in Caucasians are linked to family history. The symptoms of clubfoot are mostly due to the position of the feet, and although there is treatment available, clubfoot often results in permanent disability.
Foot Position
The characteristic symptom of clubfoot is the position of the foot. In medical terms, the foot has a metatarsus adductus, it is in supination and is varus, which in normal terms means that the top half of the foot is inclined inward, the bottom half is rotated outward and the ankle is pointed downward. The condition is termed clubfoot because the position of the foot resembles the head of a golf club.
Because of the position of the foot, if the condition is not treated before the child begins walking, he will walk on the outside top surface of the foot. This can cause additional symptoms including corns (an area of thickened skin caused by pressure), hard, callused skin and ingrown toenails.
Small legs and Feet
Approximately 49 percent of all clubfoot cases are bilateral, according to the information in the Journal of Anatomy, meaning that both feet are involved. When both feet are involved, the muscles in both calves may be underdeveloped, resulting in smaller-appearing legs and feet. In cases where only one foot is affected, that foot and leg can be an inch shorter than the non-affected side. This can cause an unusual gait when the child begins to walk.
Syndromic Clubfoot
The majority of clubfoot cases are idiopathic, meaning they occur as the only disorder. However, clubfoot can also occur in association with other neuromuscular disorders, in which case it is called syndromic clubfoot.
Syndromic clubfoot can have a variety of additional symptoms. Patients with spina bifida, a malformation of the bones in the spine, often also have clubfoot. In this case patients will exhibit symptoms including neurologic impairment that may be severe enough to cause paralysis, bowel or bladder problems or seizures.
Clubfoot is also associated with a congenital condition called spinal muscular atrophy, which is caused by a deficiency in a protein that is necessary for nerves that control muscle function. Without this protein, the nerves cannot function and the muscles cannot be controlled. The most severe form of this condition presents at birth and can cause difficulty breathing and swallowing that usually results in death.
