Orthopaedic Surgery
Clubfoot Center
Clubfoot is the common name used to describe the condition talipes equinovarus, in which there is a deformity of the foot or feet that affects children at birth. Clubfoot may be classified as congenital (i.e. existing at birth) or teratologic (associated with a neuromuscular disorder). The vast majority of cases of clubfoot are congenital.
Congenital talipes equinovarus is also known as 'CTEV,' an acronym commonly used by orthopaedic surgeons, and this label may be used interchangeably with 'clubfoot' or 'idiopathic clubfoot,' which means that there is no identified cause for the condition.
Babies born with clubfoot have a number of abnormalities of the foot and lower leg, each with varying degrees of severity. The back portion of the foot is tilted inward, a condition known as hindfoot varus. The heel is pulled upward, as if to allow walking on the toes, a condition known as hindfoot equinus. The toes are often pointed inwards, also known as forefoot adduction, giving the foot the appearance of a kidney bean. The foot will often have a high arch, a configuration termed midfoot cavus. The foot is generally less flexible and more rigid than normal and there may be thinning, or atrophy, of the muscles of the foot and the calf. The bones of the foot and the lower leg may not demonstrate normal or complete growth, also known as hypoplasia. Different patients will show different sets of abnormalities and some may be more prominent than others. Treatment is therefore somewhat variable and should be catered to each individual's presentation. Most patients can be effectively treated with manipulation, casting, and splinting while others may require surgery.
