Club Foot

Club foot or clubfoot, is a term for the medical condition congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV). It is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. It is relatively common, affecting around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Both feet are affected in around half of the children born with the condition.

The affected foot appears to have been rotated internally at the ankle. The foot points downwards and inwards, with the soles of the feet facing backwards.

Without treatment, people with club feet often appear to walk on their ankles or on the sides of their feet. 

Existing therapy and treatment

While a baby is young, natural flexibility can be utilised to get things back to where they belong. In most cases, the foot will respond well to conservative correction using the Ponseti method which involves manipulation, serial casting and a very small procedure to release the tight Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.

There follows a long period of maintenance of the corrected position of the feet, traditionally this has been achieved with what is called the boots and bar approach.

LOC is pioneering the use of a different brace in this final phase of treatment – the Cunningham Brace.

 

 

For support and further information 

Steps Worldwide

Steps is a registered charity working for all those whose lives are affected by childhood lower limb conditions and is a founding partner of Global Club Foot Initiative.

 

 

TYPES OF TREATMENT

Ponseti Method

The Ponseti method is the gold standard treatment for club foot in the UK and most of the world.

The method involves gently manipulating the baby’s foot into a better position and then putting it into a cast.

Babies will then need to wear special boots attached to each other with a bar, to prevent club foot returning.

Club Foot Treatment

LOC has been given the exclusive rights to prescribe & fit the Cunningham brace in the UK and Europe which forms a key part of our Clubfoot treatment.

The Cunningham Brace is an alternative to the traditional boots and bar approach commonly prescribed.

The Cunningham brace is used for paediatric treatment whereas adults can benefit from LOC's bespoke orthotics.

Cunningham Brace

The Cunningham brace is the brainchild of Jerald Cunningham, a certified American prosthetist and orthotist.

It is a flexible brace that is only fitted to the affected leg and allows movement for all of the normal activities.

Gerald developed his brace in response to observing the distress to both child and parent with the Boots and Bar approach.

Club Foot FAQs

Find out more about club foot and the signs you can look out for in our frequently asked club foot questions from our existing and previous clients.

Learn how club foot can be treated with the Ponseti method and Cunningham brace.

If left untreated, people with club feet often appear to be walking on their ankles or the sides of their feet.

Club Foot Clinical Research

Learn all about the clinical research behind the Cunningham brace treatment.

Learn about how the innovative design for the treatment of Talipes equinovarus, utilizing dynamic tri-planar stretching rather than static positioning is resulting in effective maintenance following Ponseti-casting of clubfeet.

Club Foot Treatment Costs

LOC’s clubfoot treatment cost depends on whether one foot or both feet need treating.

Depending on the age of the child when LOC’s treatment commenced and the rate of growth of the child a replacement brace may be required.

 

 

 

Clinical Research 

The purpose of Jerald’s white paper is to present information about his alternative protocol to the Boots and Bar approach. His innovative orthotic management of Talipes equinovarus is being utilized on a small scale and is resulting in effective maintenance following Ponseti-casting of club feet.

Read more about the white paper

Bespoke Orthotics for Adults

Due to the relatively recent introduction of the Ponseti method, patients living with club foot have to seek bespoke orthotics in order to improve their comfort and minimise pain.

At LOC, we prescribe and manufacture all ranges of orthoses to cater for this need. Dependent on what treatments you may have had in the past, our clinicians will review your current symptoms and discuss what goals you want to achieve; this will help your clinician determine which is the right orthotic treatment for you.

You can visit our Bespoke Orthotics page to see our full range or alternatively, read more about Adult Club Foot Treatment.

Robotic Technology at LOC

Victor the Robot, our new Computer Numerical Control milling machine, in action! Victor is noisy, but he’s transforming our ability to design and manufacture orthotic devices at our Kingston-upon-Thames clinic. 

Manufactured by Rodin4D, Victor is capable of milling complex ergonomic shapes, meaning that we can now potentially assess a spinal orthotic patient, manufacture the orthosis and have it fitted, all in the space of a day. Victor can do everything we need to do for our patients, in-house and in the shortest time possible with no compromise on quality.

Learn more about Victor

ORTHOTIC STORIES

RECENT Posts

John walks again without aids thanks to Carbon Fibre Neuro Swing AFO

When John came to see us, his ankle was in a bad way. He had around 60mm of his tibia missing and not much if any talus present. He needed crutches to support him to walk. A gait analysis and a new bespoke carbon fibre knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO) later and he is able to walk again without crutches.

Caroline's "life-changing" carbon fibre KAFO

A gait anaylsis and a new bespoke carbon fibre knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO) help Caroline walk in comfort again, following years of living with neurological dystonia and meralgia paraesthetica. She describes her new orthosis as “life-changing”.

Matilde’s scoliosis bracing story

Matilde travelled from Chile to LOC for bracing treatment for her adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Now, nearly a year and a half since she started wearing her brace, she has achieved near-total correction of the curvature of her spine. This is her scoliosis bracing story.

Will's Pectus Carinatum treatment story

After only 6 months of wearing bespoke pectus braces from The London Orthotic Consultancy, Will started to notice a visible difference in his pectus carinatum.

Iulia's Scoliosis Bracing Story

After trying out several scoliosis braces in Romania, Ukraine and Turkey, Iulia begins treatment with the LOC Scoliosis Brace and is already seeing results in a matter of months. Here her mum, Raluca, describes how and why they came to LOC for her treatment.

Jack's Pectus Carinatum treatment

Through bracing treatment with the dynamic chest compressor, Jack has achieved 90% correction in his pectus carinatum after only two months. Here, mum describes Jack's non-surgical treatment journey.

Iyad's severe plagiocephaly treated in just 3 months

Baby Iyad's plagiocephaly was classed as 'severe' yet was treated in just 3 months of wearing the LOCband Lite helmet.

Tal’s club foot treatment journey

Baby Tal's mother explains why she insisted on getting the Cunningham Brace to treat her son’s club foot

Pevious Next

BOOK APPOINTMENT

For Plagiocephaly free photo diagnosis, please upload images in accordance with our plagiocephaly photo guide (max. 2mb each).

For Pectus, please follow our pectus photo guide (max 2mb each).