The Ponseti Method: How We Correct Clubfoot Without Surgery

Clubfoot — medically called talipes equinovarus — is one of the most common congenital podiatric conditions, affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 newborns. If your baby has been diagnosed with clubfoot, know this: it is very treatable.

What does clubfoot look like? The foot is turned inward and downward, with the sole facing inward. In more severe cases, the foot may appear rotated almost 90 degrees. It can affect one or both feet.

The Ponseti Method The gold standard for clubfoot treatment is the Ponseti method — a series of gentle weekly casts that gradually stretch and reshape the foot. Each cast is changed weekly, moving the foot a little further toward the correct position. Most feet require 5–7 casts over 6–8 weeks.

After casting, around 80–90% of babies require a small procedure called a percutaneous Achilles tenotomy — a minor cut of the Achilles tendon under local anaesthetic, which allows the final degree of correction.

The foot is then held in corrected position with a brace (Denis Browne boots and bar) worn full-time for 3 months, then at night and nap time until age 4–5.

Results With good compliance, 95% of children achieve a fully functional, pain-free foot without major surgery. Many go on to play sport at a high level.

The key is starting early — ideally within the first week or two of life — and being consistent with the bracing phase.