Causes and risk factors
The exact cause of club foot is not known. However certain environmental and presence of past history in the family are certain predisposing factors. Factors are congenital. Women who smoke during pregnancy are at risk to give birth to babies with club foot.
Clinical presentation:
Club foot does not produce any symptoms. As the name suggest abnormal positioning of the foot is seen. The foot is internally rotated or bent at the level of the ankle. It points inwards. It may be seen at one or both the feet’s. The affected leg appears to be smaller as compared to other. If untreated the child as grows up finds difficulty in walking or standing on foot, due to inward bending a child walks on lateral part of the foot which is painful and inhibits some active sports activity.
Investigations:
Diagnosis of this condition is done by examining the new born by the doctor. If required X-ray of the foot is done for detail understanding about the bones and its localization.
Treatment:
For good results treatment should be initiated as early as possible immediately after birth. Use of casts and splints for repositioning is the commonest treatment used. Stretching manipulation periodically on alternate days or weekly basis, repositioning the foot in casts and splints is adopted. Every child with club foot should be treated conservatively as this brings back the foot to almost normal positions in few months. Splint brace support continuous fro 2-3 years prevent reccurence.In severe cases surgery is done followed by use of foot abduction braces for support for few years is found to be effective.
