Club Foot, anyone?

This gent came in to see us for a new orthotic prescription. As you can imagine, or are probably aware, these cases present a challange becuase of both the anatomy and pathomechanics, especially the plantar flexed foot and loss of ankle rocker.

This gent had his left foot is 20 degrees plantar flexion. He has bi-lateral rigid forefoot valgus, bi-lat. femoral retrotorsion and bi-lat. internal tibial torsion.  

We built him an othotic with a modified UCB (deep heel cup) with 20 degrees of plantar flexion (ie ramp delta or "drop") into the left orthotic as well as bilateral forefoot valgus posts.

If you would like to read up on clubfoot (or talipes equino varus, as it is called) , here is a nice, full text review.

Anand A, Sala DA. Clubfoot: Etiology and treatment. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics. 2008;42(1):22-28. doi:10.4103/0019-5413.38576.

link to free full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759597/

Congenital clubfoot anyone?

This gentleman, a longtime patient came in for new orthotics, as his old ones were 10 years old. From the pedographs above, you can see it is his LEFT foot. 

Note the following:

• shortened apparent foot length left compared to right (the foot is merely deformed and plantarflexed)
  
• The increased plantar pressures laterally, from the foot being supinated 
  
• increased arch height L > R
  
• clawing of digits 2-4 to provide stability
  

This case made me think about some common issues that you may be wondering about if you see these folks. 

There are several things you should think about:

• People with clubfoot generally have a high arched, rigid, cavus foot. 
  

• These folks generally are fixed in some degree of plantar flexion.
  

• Because of the plantar flexed posture of their foot, they generally have a loss of a ankle rocker
  

• If you utilize an orthotic with these patients, you need to make sure that there is significant ramp delta (heel higher than the 1st metatarsal)
  

• Clubfoot can often be unilateral.
  

• Clubfoot is usually not congenital
  

• Gait training and balance (proprioceptive) work can be especially helpful in these cases.