Club foot is a deformity of the foot and ankle that is present at birth (congenital).
In a baby born with club foot, the foot points down and inwards with deep inner and heel creases. In cases where both feet are affected, the soles of the feet face each other. Both feet are affected in around half of all cases of club foot.
What causes club foot?
Club foot occurs when the muscles on the outer side of the leg are weaker than those on the inside of the leg. The tendons on the inside of the leg also become shorter than normal.
Tendons are the tough cords that connect muscles to bones. In club foot, the bones of the foot are abnormally shaped and the Achilles tendon (the large tendon at the back of the heel) is tight.
In most cases the cause of club foot is unknown, but it occasionally runs in the family. If you have had a child with club foot, you are 20 times more likely to have another child with the condition.
Read more about the causes of club foot.
The Ponseti method
A baby with club foot will not usually experience any pain and treatment is often effective in correcting the abnormal position of their feet.
Ideally, treatment for club foot will start within a week or two of the baby being born. A treatment technique known as the Ponseti method is the main treatment for club foot, which involves your baby's foot being gently manipulated into position and put in a cast.
This is repeated several times over a number of weeks (the average time is five weeks). After this, your baby will need to wear special boots that are attached to a bar until they are about four years of age.
Although it is sometimes a difficult process to go through, the Ponseti method is effective in treating around 85% of babies with club foot. It is important to stick to the treatment to prevent club foot re-occurring.
Your child’s condition will be regularly reviewed in case they have a relapse and require further treatment. However, provided that the condition is treated early, there should be few long-term side effects.
If club foot is treated when a baby is very young, the position and function of the foot is usually corrected and the child will not experience any painful symptoms. However, in some cases of club foot, long-term pain can occur despite continued treatment and corrective surgery.
Read more about treating club foot.
How common is club foot?
Club foot affects one baby in every 1,000 born in the UK. It is one of the most common abnormalities that is present at birth, and it is twice as common in boys than in girls.
