The majority of clubfeet can be corrected in infancy in about six to eight weeks with proper gentle manipulations and a series of plaster casts. The treatment is based on a sound understanding of the functional anatomy of the foot and the biological response of muscles, ligaments and bones to corrective position changes gradually obtained by manipulation and casting.

Less than 5% of infants born with clubfeet have very severely affected, short, plump feet with stiff ligaments that are unyielding to stretching. They also have a deep transverse skin fold across the sole of the foot and another crease above the heel. These babies require special treatment and may need surgical correction. The results are better, however, if bone and joint surgery can be avoided altogether. Surgery in the clubfoot is invariably followed by scarring, stiffness and muscle weakness that becomes more severe and disabling after adolescence.

Treatment should be started in the first week or two of life in order to take advantage of the favorable elasticity of the tissues forming the ligaments, joint capsules and tendons. With our treatment these structures are stretched with weekly, gentle manipulations.