Quantification of Ankle Dorsiflexion in Ponseti-managed Unilateral Clubfoot Patients During Early Childhood.

Background: Following the initial correction of a clubfoot using the Ponseti method, diminished passive ankle dorsiflexion may be observed over time, which could represent a possible relapsed deformity. Alternatively, the change may be attributable to patient age or other variables. Our purpose was to quantify passive ankle dorsiflexion in the involved and contralateral unaffected limbs of Ponseti-managed unilateral clubfoot patients, and to determine what patient-related variables influence this finding.

Sixty Years On: Ponseti Method for Clubfoot Treatment Produces High Satisfaction Despite Inherent Tendency to Relapse.

Background: Developed at the University of Iowa in 1950, the Ponseti method to manage idiopathic clubfoot deformity was slow to gain wide acceptance until the mid-1990s. There is a paucity of intermediate and long-term outcome studies involving this technique, with nearly all such studies coming from a single institution. The purpose of this study is to report the contemporary outcome of patients with clubfoot deformity whose feet were managed with the Ponseti method and who were followed to ≥5 years old, to provide outcome expectations for parents and for clinicians managing patients with idiopathic clubfoot.

The Timing and Relevance of Relapsed Deformity in Patients With Idiopathic Clubfoot.

Background: The timing and relevance of relapsed deformity after correction of idiopathic clubfoot have not been well documented.

Methods: All patients with idiopathic clubfoot seen at the authors' institution during the study period who were followed for ≥2 years (range, 2.0 to 9.

The Objective Measurement of Brace-Use Adherence in the Treatment of Idiopathic Clubfoot.

Background: A successful outcome for the treatment of idiopathic clubfoot is believed to require adequate adherence to brace use. Previous studies have relied on parental reporting of brace application. We used temperature sensors to determine the adherence to the bracing protocol, the accuracy of parent-reported use, and differences in adherence between patients who experienced relapse of deformity and those who did not.