club-foot

In humans, a deformity of the foot that prevents a normal standing position with the sole of the foot flat on the ground. In its commonest form (talipes equinovarus) the foot is drawn downwards and inwards, forcing the person to walk on the outer edge of the foot. It can usually be corrected by manipulation and orthopaedic splinting or by surgery.

It may be congenital or aquired. A wide range of neurological disorders, such as cerebral palsy and poliomyelitis, may produce acquired club-foot. Congenital club-foot occurs in approximately one per 1,000 live births in Britain, and is more common in male infants, and tends to be hereditary.

A condition allied to club-foot, talipes calcaneovalgus, is relatively common in newborn babies. The heel is prominent and the forefoot cannot be pointed downwards. There is a tendency for it to occur in first-born children. The condition usually responds to massage and simple stretching. Resistant cases may need treatment with splints or shoe modifications.