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The Ponseti Method: Bracing Phase

Medically reviewed by: L. Reid Nichols, MD

Clubfoot is a birth defect that makes one or both of a baby's feet point down and turn in.

Surgery used to be the main treatment for clubfoot, but orthopedic surgeons (doctors who focus on conditions of the bones, muscles, and joints) now prefer the Ponseti method. This is done in two phases:

  1. the casting phase, which gradually moves the foot to the correct position
  2. the bracing phase, which helps make sure it stays there

Casting by an orthopedic surgeon or care team member who has been trained in the Ponseti method usually starts when a baby is a week or two old, and lasts for 5 to 7 weeks. When the foot is in its final, correct position, the baby is fitted with a brace.

What Is a Clubfoot Brace?

A clubfoot brace (often just called an orthotic) has two parts: a bar (usually metal) and special shoes (or boots) that attach at each end. The bar is the same length as the distance between the baby's shoulders. It slides or clicks into the bottoms of the shoes.