Joshua C. Luginbuhl
M.D
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Club foot is a visible deformity of the foot that can be seen in a child at birth. The foot is turned to the side, and the calf and leg are shorter and smaller than normal. A club foot is not usually painful, but can cause discomfort and disability later in life if left untreated.
Club foot is one of the most common non-major birth defects. There is no known cause, but it tends to run in families. Most often the condition only affects one foot.
Treatment of a club foot is very important or the foot can remain deformed and impair a child’s ability to walk normally. When treated properly, a child with club foot should be able run, play and wear normal shoes.
Non-surgical treatment at Lancaster Orthopedic Group often occurs when the child is an infant by stretching and casting to correct the positioning of the foot. This is typically followed by wearing braces for at least two years to ensure that the correction takes hold.
If the club foot is particularly severe and non-surgical methods are ineffective, surgery may be necessary to adjust the positioning of the foot.