We treat clubfoot using the Ponseti method. The Ponseti method corrects the problem with minimal surgery, and sometimes with no surgery at all.
Clubfoot Treatment Options
At our Clubfoot Clinic, we begin gently stretching your baby’s foot toward the correct position soon after birth. After about a one-minute stretch, we apply a cast that extends from the hip to the toes.
We work with your baby each week, gently stretching the foot further and applying a new full leg cast.
After four to eight weeks of treatment, about 5% to 10% of babies’ clubfeet are completely corrected. Most other babies need a simple procedure in the clinic to release the tight tendon at the back of their ankles (Achilles tendon). These babies wear a final cast for about three weeks.
After your baby’s foot is in the correct position, they wear a brace nearly all the time for the next three months. Then they wear a brace at night and nap times for three to four years. The brace, made up of leather shoes connected by an aluminum bar, turns your child’s feet outward.
It is vital to use the brace to make sure your child’s feet stay in the corrected position. Read more about braces and our other orthotics and prosthetics services.
After this treatment, two to three children in every 10 will need a minor operation after age 3 to adjust their tendons.
Your participation during treatment with the Ponseti method is very important. Without using the brace, the clubfoot is likely to return. Our doctors and staff are ready to help you with all aspects of the treatment method, including how to care for a baby in casts and braces. Over the past decade, we have helped hundreds of families whose children are undergoing Ponseti clubfoot treatment. We are ready to share our expertise and extensive experience with you.
About 5% to 10% of babies with clubfoot do not respond to the Ponseti method. These children may need major surgery. We are very experienced in these techniques too.