Overview

Clubfoot is a deformity (birth defect) in which your baby’s foot or feet turn inward. When you look at their foot, the bottom often faces sideways or even up. Another name for club foot is talipes equinovarus. Clubfoot is a common congenital (present at birth) condition. About 1 out of every 1,000 newborns will have clubfoot.

Clubfoot happens because of an issue with your child’s tendons, the tissues that connect muscle to bone. The tendons in your baby’s leg and foot are shorter and tighter than they should be. That causes the foot to twist. About half of babies with clubfoot have an issue with both feet.

Extensive surgery used to be the main treatment to correct clubfoot. But today, healthcare providers typically use a combination of nonsurgical methods and a minor procedure.

Types of clubfoot

There are two types of clubfoot:

  • Isolated or idiopathic clubfoot: This is the most common type. If your child has clubfoot with no other medical issues, it’s called isolated clubfoot. Idiopathic means that the cause of clubfoot isn’t known.
  • Nonisolated clubfoot: Nonisolated clubfoot happens along with other health conditions. These conditions include arthrogryposis (a joint problem) and spina bifida (a neural tube disorder). Neural tube defects are issues with your baby’s brain, spine and spinal cord.
Products & Services
A Book: Future Care

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Request an appointment


Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart failure.
  • Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
  • Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
  • Don't smoke or use tobacco.
  • Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
  • Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Reduce and manage stress.


Print

Living with atrial fibrillation?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart Rhythm Conditions support group on Freedmans Health Clinic Connect, a patient community.

Heart Rhythm Conditions Discussions

See more discussions

Comments are closed for this post.