Club foot or clubfoot, is a term for the medical condition congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV). It is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. It is relatively common, affecting around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK. Both feet are affected in around half of the children born with the condition.
The affected foot appears to have been rotated internally at the ankle. The foot points downwards and inwards, with the soles of the feet facing backwards.
Without treatment, people with club feet often appear to walk on their ankles or on the sides of their feet.
While a baby is young, natural flexibility can be utilised to get things back to where they belong. In most cases, the foot will respond well to conservative correction using the Ponseti method which involves manipulation, serial casting and a very small procedure to release the tight Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.
There follows a long period of maintenance of the corrected position of the feet, traditionally this has been achieved with what is called the boots and bar approach.
LOC is pioneering the use of a different brace in this final phase of treatment – the Cunningham Brace.
Steps is a registered charity working for all those whose lives are affected by childhood lower limb conditions and is a founding partner of Global Club Foot Initiative.
The Ponseti method is the gold standard treatment for club foot in the UK and most of the world.
The method involves gently manipulating the baby’s foot into a better position and then putting it into a cast.
Babies will then need to wear special boots attached to each other with a bar, to prevent club foot returning.
LOC has been given the exclusive rights to prescribe & fit the Cunningham brace in the UK and Europe which forms a key part of our Clubfoot treatment.
The Cunningham Brace is an alternative to the traditional boots and bar approach commonly prescribed.
The Cunningham brace is used for paediatric treatment whereas adults can benefit from LOC's bespoke orthotics.
The Cunningham brace is the brainchild of Jerald Cunningham, a certified American prosthetist and orthotist.
It is a flexible brace that is only fitted to the affected leg and allows movement for all of the normal activities.
Gerald developed his brace in response to observing the distress to both child and parent with the Boots and Bar approach.
Find out more about club foot and the signs you can look out for in our frequently asked club foot questions from our existing and previous clients.
Learn how club foot can be treated with the Ponseti method and Cunningham brace.
If left untreated, people with club feet often appear to be walking on their ankles or the sides of their feet.
Learn all about the clinical research behind the Cunningham brace treatment.
Learn about how the innovative design for the treatment of Talipes equinovarus, utilizing dynamic tri-planar stretching rather than static positioning is resulting in effective maintenance following Ponseti-casting of clubfeet.
LOC’s clubfoot treatment cost depends on whether one foot or both feet need treating.
Depending on the age of the child when LOC’s treatment commenced and the rate of growth of the child a replacement brace may be required.
The purpose of Jerald’s white paper is to present information about his alternative protocol to the Boots and Bar approach. His innovative orthotic management of Talipes equinovarus is being utilized on a small scale and is resulting in effective maintenance following Ponseti-casting of club feet.
Due to the relatively recent introduction of the Ponseti method, patients living with club foot have to seek bespoke orthotics in order to improve their comfort and minimise pain.
At LOC, we prescribe and manufacture all ranges of orthoses to cater for this need. Dependent on what treatments you may have had in the past, our clinicians will review your current symptoms and discuss what goals you want to achieve; this will help your clinician determine which is the right orthotic treatment for you.
You can visit our Bespoke Orthotics page to see our full range or alternatively, read more about Adult Club Foot Treatment.
Victor the Robot, our new Computer Numerical Control milling machine, in action! Victor is noisy, but he’s transforming our ability to design and manufacture orthotic devices at our Kingston-upon-Thames clinic.
Manufactured by Rodin4D, Victor is capable of milling complex ergonomic shapes, meaning that we can now potentially assess a spinal orthotic patient, manufacture the orthosis and have it fitted, all in the space of a day. Victor can do everything we need to do for our patients, in-house and in the shortest time possible with no compromise on quality.
For six-year-old Sophie, life has always carried unique challenges. LOC orthotist, Alan Hews, has been working with Sophie and her family since she received selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery for cerebral palsy at the Portland Hospital aged three ... continue reading ...
LOC has been treating Lilac since 2018 following her SDR surgery for cerebral palsy. Her extraordinary progress has been possible thanks to her own courage, her family’s determination in fundraising through Just4Children and the targeted intervention of a number of professionals including our own team at LOC ... continue reading ...
For 10-year-old Aran, the ability to walk independently is becoming reality with the help of the Elaine Owen Clinic, which is run at our Gait Laboratory in Kingston upon Thames. Aran has diplegia cerebral palsy, which manifests itself in tense muscles and spasms ... continue reading ...
With a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, little Sofia has more to contend with than the average four-year-old! But her positive outlook, combined with her family’s support and determination plus orthotics and physiotherapy, is helping her on the way to a bright future ... continue reading ...
LOC has recently begun treating five-year-old Esme to help her regain strength and independence of movement following SDR surgery for cerebral palsy. Esme’s mum, Charlotte, is already seeing significant improvement in Esme’s mobility since her bespoke AFOs were fitted ... continue reading ...
Five-year-old Austin has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and underwent SDR surgery in November 2018. In July 2020, Austin’s parents brought him to LOC’s OSKAR Clinic, hoping that we could help him to walk independently and with more confidence ... continue reading ...
Elouise’s parents were acutely aware of the risk of flat head syndrome because their first child had developed severe plagiocephaly but was treated late with a headband after false reassurances from health professionals ... continue reading ...
This little boy first visited LOC in July 2015 with his parents. Has had been diagnosed with torticollis when he was 2 months old and had begun to receive physiotherapy to treat this ... continue reading ...
As Gary got to 5 months it was even more noticeable. During Gary's check-up with the GP, I expressed my concern about his head shape but once again I was told it would grow out and there was no reason for concern ... continue reading ...
This little boy has a twin brother and they were born 5 weeks prematurely. Both babies lay breach in the womb and this little one was stuck under mum’s ribs. His parents noticed a lump on his neck at a few weeks old ... continue reading ...
Discover how bespoke orthotics and the OSKAR program with Elaine Owen transformed Archie’s life with cerebral palsy quadriplegia, helping him avoid a wheelchair and achieve greater mobility.
Luca was diagnosed with moderate to severe brachycephaly, a condition where the head is unusually wide and flat. Here, Mum Lauren tells us his story.
From debilitating challenges with foot drop to conquering mountains... New carbon-fibre Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) help this Charcot-Marie-Tooth patient climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Vacuum bell therapy and custom rib bracing helped to improve Charlie's pectus excavatum chest shape, reducing his sternum indentation from 40mm to 10mm.
Among 14 to 17-year-old cricket players, there is an increased risk of pars stress fracture, or spondylolysis, which can cause lower back pain and reduced mobility. These athletes are at high risk due to their still-developing bones, which struggle to cope with the repetitive stress of fast bowling.
Apprentice orthotist Catherine Hendy’s journey into the world of prosthetics and orthotics began in an unconventional way. After completing a degree in art, she then trained as an orthotics technician, before taking up an apprenticeship to become a clinician. Now, she’s been nominated for the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) Student of the Year 2024.
Amelia was diagnosed with tightness in her neck by her GP before her plagiocephaly diagnosis. Clinician Jo Drake treated her with a LOCband Lite cranial remoulding helmet, which improved her overall head shape and asymmetry.
What are lower limb orthotics, and how can they improve mobility and reduce pain? We've put together this summary of the different kinds of lower limb orthotics, from AFOs and KAFOs to more complex orthotics like RGOs, and how they can help patients with their mobility goals.
