Q: Which doctor should I see for clubfoot?
A: You should see a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.Physiotherapy also has a role in treating clubfoot.
Q: How long should the treatment continue?
A: There are chances for the deformity to relapse even though it is corrected. So the child needs continuous check up and treatment throughout his growing age.
Q: Can surgery be done immediately to the newborn baby, as soon as the clubfoot is detected?
A: No, surgery is done, only when the conservative treatment fails for the child. The child should be of sufficient size so that the structures like bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles can be identified, during surgery for correction. The right age for surgery is six months of age and above.
Q: What happens if the clubfoot is left untreated?
A: If clubfoot is left untreated, the child's foot will be automatically turned inwards and the child will not be able to place his foot flat on the ground and finds difficult to walk. The child may begin to walk on the outer surface of the foot and the toes. This causes hardening of the skin and development of corns and ulcers over the outer border of the foot. Wearing shoes becomes difficult, and over a period of time it may become a crippling and unsightly condition.
