Bilateral Clubbed Feet

We just recently found out our new little one has bilateral clubbed feet and of course upon getting home the googling began!

We are very open to different types of therapy and methods! However the two that are coming up the most are the Ponseti Method and the French Functional! From what I’ve read so far the French does not necessarily always use casts? But you are much more hands on, which as a SAHM I plan on being.
I know depending on the extremities of the clubbed feet, this could or may have to change.
But both methods seem to have the same percentages as far as outcome and results!
With anyone who has experience in this please let me know what has worked for you and your little ones! Or anything else you feel we should know!

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Your baby will be just fine. We did serial casting for 6 weeks , follow up PT and Shriners was able to follow up after with a hip spacer. Scary I know but these babes are Soo resilient. Side note my son did have a congenital brain tumor discovered later at 5 yo.

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Your baby will be fine. I am. I had both legs casted as a baby I think it’s more stressful on the parent :heart:

I am and my son was also born with bilateral club feet. We used the ponsetti method…and his feet are just perfect! He is 5 years old almost 6 and was complete with everything by 4yr old. We continually do stretches and have annual follow ups. As of now, everything is great!

My son has what you call bilateral foot pain meaning high arches we also have a tethered spine we are getting his braces tomorrow for his feet an follow up PT.
It’s stressful but hand in there

I was born with clubbed feet. I reccomend the ponsetti method. I was not cast and had no surgeries until I was 11. Im paying dearly for it. All because 1 Dr told my parents at birth I would out grow it.

My son was born with a Right clubbed foot. We used the Ponsetti but switched to the Dobbs (same thing but has some movement in the bar) He did better with the Dobbs just because he could move his feet a little. KEEP THEM ON! The best advise I can give you. My son is 5 and runs and plays just fine and normal. We call it his funky foot because it will forever smaller than the other and he has an extremely high arch so I can’t buy shoes without him there. I’d say the castings were the worst just because having an infant in a cast is no fun with blow outs and bath time. My son did have the Achilles tendon cut early on like a month or 2 old. But I wouldn’t worry or stress. Side note: my kiddo sweats so bad. It caused athletes foot wearing the braces because you wear them all the time. I would change hie socks and spray athletes stuff on his feet 3 times a day and I would take rubbing alcohol and wipe down the inside of his braces which helped keep the athletes foot away

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My daughter was born with bilateral club feet and was casted at 11 days old. The casts were .changed weekly and the doctor manipulated the feet at that time. At 3 months old she had an out patient surgery to release the heel cord and wore another set of casts for 4 weeks. She then wore corrective shoes which a bar was added later on. As she gotl older, probably 2 or so, there was a brace for one leg to wear at night. She wore corrective shoes until 3 1/2. As a child she was in gymnastics and dance. My daughter is 21 now and her feet are normal. She does have arthritis but that is to be expected. Having experience with casting and seeing the amazing results, I would choose it again. Casts are so challenging but you get creative and make it work. It was only for 3 months and we survived. I gave her sponge baths on the counter and washed her hair under the faucet. Good luck!

Join the group Clubbed Foot support group. Your baby will be fine. My BCF little boy is about to turn 5 this week and you couldn’t tell there was ever an issue. He got his first cast at 4 days old, had 6 cast total, a tendonomy, and boot n bar until almost 3. He doesn’t remember any of it! Try not to worry. We used the poinsettia method!

Ponseti method has worked well for my baby she had 6 sets of casts then tendon release then casts for another 3 weeks then onto boots and a bar her wee feet look amazing x

My son was born with bilateral clubfeet ( both feet) They started casting him up at 4 days old, and once a week we would have the casts changed. At 6 months they did surgery, placing a 6 inch stainless steel pin in each foot for 8 weeks with casts. I honestly don’t know the name of the technique all I know is his medical records state he had “bilateral clubfoot repair”. After 8 weeks they took the pins out and went back to casting him up every week. They told me my son most likely wouldn’t fully walk until he was about 3 or 4 yrs old, but at 13 months he pulled himself up and started walking IN HIS CASTS. I called the Dr and they put him in corrective shoes and honestly we have never had a problem since. We never had to use the bar or braces at all He’s 20 yrs old now and you’d never be able to look at his feet and tell he ever had a problem with them. Balance is perfect and he does everything anyone else can do. I hope and pray y’all find the solution that works best for your little one. :pray: If you have any questions feel free to pm me. I dont have all the answers but I dont mind sharing with my experiences from it all.

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Chelsea Maury :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: your thoughts?

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We did the ponseti method. Im assuming the french functional is extremely hands on with massage and mamipulation as well as stretches. We do physical therapy to help. Hes fought the boots and bar method and is in AFOS currently. So far so gpod. Mild recurring issues. As he grows it will get easier. Whatever you do dedicate yourself to it because if you lack they fall behind and have a higher chance of relapse.

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Doing ponseti method right now

I was born with club feet and had them broken and straightened in surgery

Tracey Hollmann-Hertzog

My daughter had bilateral. Casted at 4 days old, and changed cast every week. 9 months she had the surgery and was in cast for w weeks. She started walking shortly after that and never skipped a beat. We saw a French doctor for his second opinion. He said do the surgery and do it while she was young or it would be harder on a child after they are a year old. She is 25 and expecting her first child. It’s a process but once it’s done, then it’s done. Good luck to whatever you decide. Don’t google too much. Glad I didn’t have google back then. Educate yourself through doctor’s.

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Becky Murphy Maybe you have some info you can share.

Brittany Ann Dunning

My son was born w one club foot. We did the Ponseti method with casting and the bar. Both worked out so we did not have to do the surgery and my son is now 8 yo running, climbing being all boy and you would never know he had club foot. I don’t think there is a huge significance in foot size either which we expected there to be. Everything will work out. :slightly_smiling_face:

My son has bilateral club feet his doctor did the ponseti method due to other medical issue casting didn’t start until he was 3 weeks old and they did it until he was 3 months then surgery to clip his tendons with casting for another month then 23/7 with the bnb until he was 9 months then it changed to 12hr a day bnb. At 2 he still couldn’t walk so he had to do physical therapy which lasted only a few weeks before he figured out how to walk. Then at 3 he stopped bnb and was using only afos 3 hrs a day. Unfortunately though now at four he needs another surgery because he is releasing :pensive:

My daughter is 6yrs old and a bilateral case we did Ponseti Method. The absolute KEY to you having a good outcome is making absolute 100% sure you have the right doctor! There are many Facebook groups you can join with some of the most knowledgeable people and physicians that can help point you in the right direction and help make sure you find the right doctor for your child and also to offer support and education to you. It’s very overwhelming and it’s scary but you are not alone and believe it or not club foot is quite a common birth defect. :heart::heart:

Brittany Nicole Lavoie
Thought of you, didn’t know if any of this information could be helpful. :two_hearts::two_hearts:

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I worked in childrens orthopedics for 10 years, highly recommend the 6 week casting/ponsetti method following by bracing!