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If your baby has clubfoot, one foot or both feet point down and turn in. This happens because the tissues that connect muscles to bone (called tendons) in your baby’s leg and foot are shorter than usual. This pulls the foot into an abnormal position. Babies with clubfoot also may have abnormal foot bones, ankle joints and muscles.
Clubfoot is a common birth defect. About 1 in 1,000 babies is born with clubfoot in the United States each year.
What problems does clubfoot cause?
Clubfoot can range from mild to serious. Clubfoot isn’t painful, and it doesn’t bother your baby until he begins to stand and walk. If it’s not treated, he may have problems walking correctly. For example, he may walk on the sides of his feet or even on the tops of his feet instead of on the bottoms or soles of the feet. Sometimes, the part of the foot he walks on abnormally can get infected, and the skin can get thick and hard. Clubfoot that’s not treated can cause arthritis. This is a health condition that causes joint pain, aches, stiffness and swelling.
How do you know if your baby has clubfoot?
Your baby’s provider can identify clubfoot and other foot problems in a physical exam of your baby after birth. Your baby’s provider may use other tests, like a foot X-ray.
Sometimes, your health care provider may see that your baby has clubfoot before birth using ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves and a computer screen to make a picture of your baby in the womb. Even though clubfoot can’t be treated until your baby is born, knowing about it while you’re pregnant may help you plan ahead for treatment.
How is clubfoot treated?
A doctor with special training in bone conditions called an orthopedic surgeon can help you understand the best treatment for your baby. Until recently, many children with clubfoot had surgery to correct their condition. Now, most children with clubfoot can be treated without surgery. Treatment works best when it’s started early, even as early as 1 week old. With early treatment, most children with clubfoot can grow up to wear regular shoes and have active, normal lives.
Clubfoot treatment may include:
What causes clubfoot?
We don’t know what causes clubfoot, and there’s no way to prevent it. But some things may make a baby more likely than others to have the condition, including:
Last reviewed January 2013
See also: Your family health history, Genetic counseling
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