World Clubfoot Day
June 3rd has been established as World Clubfoot Day. This date was chosen by Ponseti International (PIA) to honor the birth of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti (1914–2009), the originator and developer of the Ponseti Method for treating congenital clubfoot. The goal of World Clubfoot Day is to raise awareness about this foot deformity and to promote its prevention and treatment through the Ponseti Method.
Congenital clubfoot is the most common musculoskeletal birth defect, affecting 200,000 newborns annually, with 80% of cases occurring in developing countries. The deformed foot is rigid and turned inward and downward, resembling a golf club. Today, it can be diagnosed via a Level II ultrasound after the 18th week of pregnancy, giving expectant parents time to learn about the condition and the required treatment.
The Ponseti Method is the treatment of choice and the gold standard for congenital clubfoot.
The Ponseti Method is a non-surgical treatment for correcting clubfoot and consists of two stages. In the first stage, the deformity is corrected by a specialist physician through the application of successive corrective casts on a weekly basis over a period of 4–7 weeks. The final step of this stage is an Achilles tendon tenotomy.
In the second stage, the correction is maintained using a special brace until the age of four (nighttime bracing).
The Ponseti method achieves a success rate of nearly 100% when administered by a physician specifically trained and certified in the method. Following treatment, the child is expected to have feet that appear and function normally for all practical purposes in life. A treated clubfoot does not constitute a disability and is fully compatible with a normal, active life.
The Ponseti International Association is the global leader in training physicians and other healthcare professionals in the treatment of clubfoot. *Ms. Christina Neila, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, is certified by the Ponseti International Association in the application of the Ponseti method (https://ponseti.medicine.uiowa.edu)
Author
