clubfoot

clubfoot, congenital twisting of the foot. In the most common type, called talipes equinovarus, the heel bends upward and the front part of the foot is turned inward and bent toward the heel. The frequency of the disorder is equal in males and females. A mild form, possibly caused by poor position in the womb, may be cured by the use of wrappings, plaster casts, and sometimes a special splint; treatment is begun soon after birth, and the feet are usually normal by the time the child begins to walk. A more severe form requires surgery to free tendons and to position bones.