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Duration and outcome of orthotic treatment in children with clubfoot – a four-year follow-up national register study of Swedish children born between 2015 and 2017

Naili, Josefine Eriksson ; Lindeberg, Malin and Esbjörnsson, Anna Clara LU (2024) In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 25(1).
Abstract

Background: The Ponseti method for treating clubfoot consists of initial treatment with serial casting accompanied by achillotenotomy if needed, followed by the maintenance phase including treatment with a foot abduction orthosis (FAO) for at least four years. This study aimed to examine the duration, course, and outcome of orthotic treatment in children with clubfoot. Methods: 321 children with clubfoot, born between 2015 and 2017, registered in the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality Register (SPOQ), were included in this prospective cohort study. Data on deformity characteristics and orthotic treatment were extracted. For children with bilateral clubfoot, one foot was included in the analysis. Results: Of the 288 children with... (More)

Background: The Ponseti method for treating clubfoot consists of initial treatment with serial casting accompanied by achillotenotomy if needed, followed by the maintenance phase including treatment with a foot abduction orthosis (FAO) for at least four years. This study aimed to examine the duration, course, and outcome of orthotic treatment in children with clubfoot. Methods: 321 children with clubfoot, born between 2015 and 2017, registered in the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality Register (SPOQ), were included in this prospective cohort study. Data on deformity characteristics and orthotic treatment were extracted. For children with bilateral clubfoot, one foot was included in the analysis. Results: Of the 288 children with isolated clubfoot, 274 children (95.5%) were prescribed an FAO, and 100 children (35%) changed orthosis type before 4 years of age. Of the 33 children with non-isolated clubfoot, 25 children (76%) were prescribed an FAO, and 21 children (64%) changed orthosis type before 4 years of age. 220 children with isolated clubfoot (76%), and 28 children with non-isolated clubfoot (84%) continued orthotic treatment until 4 years of age or longer. Among children with isolated clubfoot, children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age (n = 63) had lower Pirani scores at birth compared to children ending orthotic treatment at/after 4 years of age (n = 219) (p = 0.01). It was more common to change orthosis type among children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age (p = 0.031). Conclusions: The majority of children with clubfoot in Sweden are treated with an FAO during the maintenance phase. The proportion of children changing orthosis type was significantly greater and the Pirani score at diagnosis was lower significantly among children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age. Long-term follow-up studies are warranted to fully understand how to optimize, and individualize, orthotic treatment with respect to foot involvement and severity of deformity. Level of evidence: II.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Congenital talipes equinovarus, Epidemiology, Foot abduction brace, Orthoses, Outcome, Pes equinovarus adductus
in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
volume
25
issue
1
article number
425
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85195008065
  • pmid:38822269
ISSN
1471-2474
DOI
10.1186/s12891-024-07544-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
01b44cb0-cafe-437e-8c14-e58fdd8770e3
date added to LUP
2024-07-01 14:59:51
date last changed
2024-07-01 15:01:11
@article{01b44cb0-cafe-437e-8c14-e58fdd8770e3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: The Ponseti method for treating clubfoot consists of initial treatment with serial casting accompanied by achillotenotomy if needed, followed by the maintenance phase including treatment with a foot abduction orthosis (FAO) for at least four years. This study aimed to examine the duration, course, and outcome of orthotic treatment in children with clubfoot. Methods: 321 children with clubfoot, born between 2015 and 2017, registered in the Swedish Pediatric Orthopedic Quality Register (SPOQ), were included in this prospective cohort study. Data on deformity characteristics and orthotic treatment were extracted. For children with bilateral clubfoot, one foot was included in the analysis. Results: Of the 288 children with isolated clubfoot, 274 children (95.5%) were prescribed an FAO, and 100 children (35%) changed orthosis type before 4 years of age. Of the 33 children with non-isolated clubfoot, 25 children (76%) were prescribed an FAO, and 21 children (64%) changed orthosis type before 4 years of age. 220 children with isolated clubfoot (76%), and 28 children with non-isolated clubfoot (84%) continued orthotic treatment until 4 years of age or longer. Among children with isolated clubfoot, children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age (n = 63) had lower Pirani scores at birth compared to children ending orthotic treatment at/after 4 years of age (n = 219) (p = 0.01). It was more common to change orthosis type among children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age (p = 0.031). Conclusions: The majority of children with clubfoot in Sweden are treated with an FAO during the maintenance phase. The proportion of children changing orthosis type was significantly greater and the Pirani score at diagnosis was lower significantly among children ending orthotic treatment before 4 years of age. Long-term follow-up studies are warranted to fully understand how to optimize, and individualize, orthotic treatment with respect to foot involvement and severity of deformity. Level of evidence: II.</p>}},
  author       = {{Naili, Josefine Eriksson and Lindeberg, Malin and Esbjörnsson, Anna Clara}},
  issn         = {{1471-2474}},
  keywords     = {{Congenital talipes equinovarus; Epidemiology; Foot abduction brace; Orthoses; Outcome; Pes equinovarus adductus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders}},
  title        = {{Duration and outcome of orthotic treatment in children with clubfoot – a four-year follow-up national register study of Swedish children born between 2015 and 2017}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12891-024-07544-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12891-024-07544-5}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}