Many people have heard someone say they were born with a club foot but what does this really mean? A club foot is a birth defect which occurs in about one of every one thousand births. This condition is more prevalent in boys than it is in girls occurring on average about twice as often to boys.

Although club foot is a birth defect it is more genetic than caused by any actual problem. A child born with this condition is often healthy in every other way. This birth defect is mostly genetic and is usually passed down through a family line from a parent or other family member. In as many as half the babies who are born with this condition both feet are affected.

When a child is born with a club foot it often appears as if they foot is upside down. This is largely due to the fact that the tendons as well as the joints on the back and side of the foot and ankle are shorter than normal. In addition to this the tendons and joints on the front of the foot are stretched beyond capacity. This in turn is what keeps the baby’s foot in such an odd position.

A club foot is not a condition which will get better by itself. In some cases children who are afflicted with this condition experience great difficulty walking if they are even able to walk. With the proper treatment however many of these children grow up to walk almost as normal as anyone else.

In many cases the treatment for club foot often involves orthopedic surgery and the use of specially made braces. In severe cases more than one surgery may be necessary to correct the condition. This is especially true if both feet are affected. In general it may be necessary for the foot to first be broken in order to get it in the proper position. After this has been done the child will have to wear braces covering the foot and ankle and part of the leg until it has healed. In successful cases once the foot has healed completely and the braces are removed the child is generally able to walk normal and it is often difficult to tell there was ever a problem with the foot.

In the event that a child is born with this condition and does not receive treatment chances are good that the child will never walk normally if at all. In addition to this over time the abnormal positioning of the foot can become uncomfortable and possibly even painful for the child. It is very important to see treatment for this condition when the child is very young preferably before the age of learning to walk. This is because it will be more difficult to keep an older child off their feet during healing which may cause the feet not to heal properly.