Clubfoot (Pes Ekinovarus)

Clubfoot (Pes Ekinovarus)

What is Clubfoot (Pes Equinovarus), what are the symptoms, and how is it treated?
Clubfoot (pes equinovarus) is a disease that appears in childhood. In one or both feet, patients may have an inward and downward curvature. Although the specific source of the condition is unknown, the fact that it is frequently found in twin siblings suggests that it can be transferred through genetic predisposition. Avicenna Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology department specialists discussed what is unusual about pes equinovarus ailment.

What is clubfoot?

Clubfoot syndrome is a simple foot malformation. In most cases, the patient's ankle cannot stand properly. The toes are pointing inwards, and the feet are angled to the front right. One in every thousand babies is affected by the disease. The majority of diagnoses are made after birth.

What is Pevli?

Pevli is a term that refers to congenital clubfoot. It comes from the Latin word pes echinovarus. It can also be characterized as the common term for clubfoot disease. Pevli, which may now be detected even in the pregnancy, relieves concern for families who have pevli babies. Because the kid is detected while still in the womb, treatment can be planned before the baby is born.

What does Talipes equinovarus mean?

Talipes equinovarus is a kind of clubfoot. The newborn is born with inverted feet, sometimes on only one foot, sometimes on both. At the same time, the feet's soles may be turned inward. Male newborns are twice as likely as female babies to have it. It happens throughout the development of muscles, tendons, soft tissues, and bones.

Why does clubfoot occur?

The precise cause of the sickness has yet to be discovered. However, study has uncovered a plethora of alternatives. Previously, the condition was assumed to occur owing to the compression of fetuses in the womb, but it was shown that this is no longer the case. Clubfoot in babies is usually caused by genetic factors. It is also believed that the disease's onset is accompanied by neurological, connective tissue, and vascular issues.

Pes Equinovarus Symptoms
Patients develop skin lines on their feet. These lines may increase or decrease depending on the level of the disease. Since the heels are very small in babies with pes equinovarus, it can be difficult to diagnose during palpation. The diagnosis may be missed, especially if there are two clubfoots and the level is low.

If there is a clubfoot in one foot, the foot may appear thinner than the other foot. However, there is no change in leg length. The bones of the foot are deformed in proportion to the clubfoot.

If treatment is delayed, bone deformities increase rapidly. The talus bone is the most severely deformed. The muscles that allow the foot to turn outward become weaker over time. Problems may occur over time in the vessels that feed the foot.

Congenital clubfoot treatment
Treatment of congenital clubfoot can often be performed without surgery. Babies are fitted with a special foot stretching device and a plaster cast that extends to the groin area. So, when do babies' feet get better? Doctors usually decide how long the device will stay on the baby. However, it is seen that the baby's feet improve visibly in an average of 1 week.

The baby is then fitted a second time with a new cast. The second special device usually stays on the baby for 1 month. After 1 month, the baby is checked. Here it is checked whether the baby's feet can flex easily. If flexibility has been achieved and the heel bone is in place, the treatment is completed.

If non-surgical treatment fails, a simple clubfoot surgery can be performed to lengthen the Achilles tendon. After the surgery, a special plaster cast is applied again. At such times, the baby can wear special shoes with a rod between them called orthotics. Orthotics should be worn for 23 hours a day. The duration of orthotic treatment is 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions
How is clubfoot corrected?

In the treatment of clubfoot, the feet are flexed with a special maneuver and a plaster cast that extends to the groin is applied. On average, this cast stays on for about a week and the baby's feet show a certain improvement.

What causes congenital clubfoot?

The cause is not known exactly, but familial factors and the baby's posture in the womb have an effect.

Can clubfoot be corrected with sports?

Unfortunately, exercise is not effective on fat distribution or bone curvature and it is not possible to correct clubfoot with exercise.

When do babies' feet straighten?

Bracket leg condition, which develops due to physiological reasons, starts to improve when the baby is 18 months old. When the baby is 3 years old, this condition is corrected.