What is a sickle foot?
Sickle foot is usually an acquired and rarely a congenital foot deformity. The name comes from the fact that the inside of the front and middle part of the foot is bent like a sickle starting from the big toe.
It usually affects newborns. Baby and toddler feet are still very stretchy, which is why they sometimes assume a deformity if they remain misaligned in utero. Experts also suspect that constant lying in the prone position in newborns promotes sickle foot. This foot deformity is more likely to recur.
How to treat a sickle foot?
What to do in case of a sickle foot in a baby?
Slightly pronounced sickle foot postures are compensated for by light stretching exercises of the inner side of the foot. This involves parents stretching their newborn’s feet several times a day under the guidance of the pediatrician.
Other treatment methods
In rarer cases, surgical intervention is necessary to correct the deformity. This involves opening the joints of the inner side of the foot and lengthening certain extensor muscles of the feet. Bony structures are only surgically corrected if only the big toe is affected by the deformity.
After surgery, a plaster cast is applied for several weeks to relieve pressure on the foot. Afterwards, intensive physiotherapy is important to heal the sickle foot for good. Orthopedic shoe inserts then help the affected person to maintain the success of the therapy.
How is the diagnosis made?
In older children or adults, the doctor will perform a gait analysis and, if necessary, confirm the diagnosis with imaging procedures such as X-rays or ultrasound examinations.
What are the chances of recovery?
If sickle foot is treated early, good results can be expected. However, one-third of those affected continue to suffer from impairment. Until complete normalization, the sickle foot should be examined by a doctor at regular intervals so that the treating physician can initiate compensatory measures if necessary.
This prevents late effects in adults such as muscle and joint damage due to gait difficulties and an associated imbalance of muscles in the body.
