Club foot is one of the common foot deformities affecting every 1 in 1000 babies. It’s a congenital condition in which your baby’s foot appears pointed inward and down. About half babies with a twisted foot have this in both feet. It happens when the tendons—the tissues that connect your muscles to the bones are short and tight.
Fortunately, clubfoot is treatable, and the results are often quite impressive for babies who are treated at a young age. At the children’s hospital in Mulund, treatment for clubfoot mainly includes a combination of non-invasive and minor procedures.
Symptoms of Clubfoot
First things first, clubfoot is not painful or isn’t caused by something you did or didn’t do during pregnancy. It’s simply a foot abnormality that can be easily corrected with proper treatment. Understanding the signs of clubfoot will help you know if your baby has it. Here’s a detailed look at the common signs and symptoms of clubfoot at birth.
Foot Turning Inward
The most classic sign of a clubfoot is the foot turning inward. Many parents describe it as a twisted foot, which looks like it’s pointing toward the opposite foot. It might be so severe in some cases that the foot appears as if it’s facing sideways. So, the key sign is a noticeable curve.
Downward Pointing
A shortened and tightened Achilles tendon in babies born with clubfoot gives their foot a pointed-downward appearance. Think of it like a ballerina standing on the tiptoes, except your baby’s foot appears pointed permanently.
Stiffness
The biggest difference between a normal foot and a clubfoot is the stiffness. A baby’s foot is soft. It can bend and move in any direction. In clubfoot babies, on the other hand, the feet neither move freely nor straighten. Even if you try to change its direction, it will spring back to the curved appearance.
Smaller Foot
If the condition affects a single foot, the size of that foot will be smaller than the other healthy foot. That’s mainly because clubfoot isn’t just a condition affecting the direction of the foot, but also the tissue, tendon, and muscle growth—all of which create differences in the baby’s foot size. It can be too subtle to be noticed after birth, but the size differences become more pronounced as your baby grows.
Does Clubfoot Hurt?
Fortunately, no. Clubfoot doesn’t cause any symptoms of distress in infancy. A baby born with this foot deformity will feed, kick, and act normally. Problems occur when your child grows and starts walking.
Since their feet may not lie flat, their gait seems unusual. Skin friction and continuous joint strain can make movement painful later. Some kids also develop calluses and thickened skin. Additionally, kids notice difficulty wearing shoes.
Conclusion
As parents, you want to see your little ones wearing cute little outfits rather than casts, splints, or braces at such a young age. However, it’s also the best time to see a pediatric orthopedic doctor in Mulund and get the most suitable treatment based on your baby’s foot size and function. Early treatment often offers the best results.
