Clubfoot Syndrome Project
Clubfoot, also known as Congenital Talipes Equinovarus, is a complex, congenital deformity of the foot, that left untreated can limit a person’s mobility by making it difficult and painful to walk. It is defined as a deformity characterized by complex, malalignment of the foot involving soft and bony structures in the hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot. The deformity affects the structure and position of the foot, presenting as an adductus and cavus (an inward turning) of the midfoot and a varus hindfoot. At the subtalar joint, the foot is held in a fixed equinus, or downward pointing position. The foot affected by clubfoot is shorter, and the calf circumference is less than a normal, unaffected foot. On presentation, the clubfoot deformity is not passively correctable and presents with varying degrees of rigidity.
Clubfoot may occur in one or both feet with 50% of cases being bilateral. It affects males more commonly than females with reported ratios ranging from 1.6:1 to 3:1. It is one of the most common serious congenital abnormalities to affect the foot. Most often it is an isolated abnormality, but occasionally it is associated with other congenital malformations or syndromes.
Talipes Equinovarus comes from the following:
- “Tali” means Ankle,
- “Pes” means Foot
- “Equinus” means foot pointing down (like a horse’s foot)
- “Varus” means deviated towards midline
One of VRCEU’s mission is to eliminate the leading cause of physical disability in children worldwide, the number of children born with clubfoot syndrome in this part of the country is high we don’t know why, It is estimated that 80% of cases of clubfoot occur in Low and Middle Income Countries. Lack of resources and medical services in these countries mean that there are high levels of disability from potentially treatable congenital anomalies such as clubfoot. Many children born with clubfoot in Low and Middle Income Countries do not receive any treatment we have so far registered over 23 children in the first phase, as a few come out to share their plight, most families take it as a curse, or a cause of evil spirit, our organization with the help of local leaders is disseminating information on this treatment, but we have been cautious on raising peoples hopes with little solution, Our annual target is 60 children, so will shall be updating you as we move on, In the first phases of taking them to meet a consultant 11 families brought their children, of the 9 ready to study children, only 4 are in school, since going out of their homes alone is a shame, as Mudaing Anthony 13 told us ‘I have been through numerous painful experiences, including being taken to school at a later age after intervention of an elder in the village, being kicked by other children in the village and at school, arriving at school later everyday as he can’t catch up with other children’s passé and referred to as a goat as she cried and crawled to safety. Their parents prefer to leave them stay at home, so as we fight to correct their feet, we have to look at their education needs as we carry on, this is no mean project, but with the help of you and any other organization their dreams may come true one day, thank you
