Clubfoot (Club Foot Or Clubfeet), Congenital Talipes Equinovarus - A Congenital Abnormality

If you are diagnosed with clubfoot, it will primarily appear that you are walking on your ankles. This is because of this sharp twist of the feet that you may altogether lose any mobility on the front end of your foot or feet and will often revert to using the soles of your feet or your ankles as your instruments for mobility. Although clubfoot is unavoidable, it is a rather common birth defect and not without its treatments. Studies show that one in every 1,000 births suffers from clubfoot, with the incidence higher in males than in females.

A genetic defect called Edward's syndrome, where there is an unusual number of three chromosome 18s are found is identified to be the main cause of clubfoot. The ratio of births with this syndrome increases even more as members of the family are found to have the same symptoms and defects. It is also recorded that clubfoot occurs when the drug known as ecstasy is taken during pregnancy.

There are no massive medicinal treatments for clubfoot. Since it is an orthopedic abnormality, the main treatment is through manipulation by a trained orthopedist or physiotherapist. The most common treatment is called the Ponseti Method, where casting and manipulation occurs as quickly as one or two weeks after birth, where the bones and cartilage are yet to be formed and manipulation of the growth and formation of the foot is most easily achieved.

But with all these castings and therapies and treatments, you may not be able to get the ideal formation of your foot. The affected foot, or both feet if that is the case, will noticeably be smaller than feet that have grown normally. Casts for club foot is essentially the solution for reverting the club feet deformity.

There are other treatments possible that include surgery. These operations include the process of opening up the affected area and attempting to relocate and repair the tissue and tendons that are responsible for the normal formation of the foot. These processes may result in scarring and more often than not include heavy doses of pain and an equal amount of anesthetic treatment.

Clubfoot, though unavoidable, is not a cause for alarm. Many people who have been diagnosed with it have continued to live normal lives and are successful in undergoing various treatments and therapies available.