Author Interviews, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, PT-Rehabilitation / 20.10.2025
Clubfoot: Nemours Study Evaluates 10-year Follow up of Conservative Treatment
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Chris Church[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Chris Church MPT
Director, Gait & Motion Analysis Laboratory
Nemours duPont Hospital for Children
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly describe the condition of clubfoot and arthrogryposis?
Response: Clubfoot is a congenital foot deformity in which the child is born with their foot (or feet) are stiff and in position with the foot pointing down (equinus) and in (inverted). Idiopathic clubfoot is a condition in which these children only have issues with their feet. Arthrogryposis is a condition in which children have contractures in multiple parts of their body. Children with Arthrogryposis often have clubfeet that are tighter and more difficult to treat than the more common idiopathic type.
Idiopathic clubfoot is effectively corrected with a conservative treatment known as the Ponseti method. Recent studies have shown successful short-term correction using Ponseti treatment in the stiffer clubfoot associated with arthrogryposis, but there are few studies analyzing long-term results. This study compares outcomes of the Ponseti method in 10-year-old children with idiopathic clubfoot and clubfoot associated with arthrogryposis.
MedicalResearch.com: Would you describe the Ponseti method? Does it require specialized or complicated training to implement treatment?
Response: Clubfoot was treated with surgery in the past. Now we use a more conservative treatment that is provided by pediatric orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists. The Ponseti method involved serial casting in infancy, Achillies tenotomies, and prolonged use of bracing during sleep until age 5 years.
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Clubfoot
Nemours Image[/caption] [caption id="attachment_71051" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Clubfoot
Nemours Image[/caption]
Chris Church[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Chris Church MPT
Director, Gait & Motion Analysis Laboratory
Nemours duPont Hospital for Children
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly describe the condition of clubfoot and arthrogryposis?
Response: Clubfoot is a congenital foot deformity in which the child is born with their foot (or feet) are stiff and in position with the foot pointing down (equinus) and in (inverted). Idiopathic clubfoot is a condition in which these children only have issues with their feet. Arthrogryposis is a condition in which children have contractures in multiple parts of their body. Children with Arthrogryposis often have clubfeet that are tighter and more difficult to treat than the more common idiopathic type.
Idiopathic clubfoot is effectively corrected with a conservative treatment known as the Ponseti method. Recent studies have shown successful short-term correction using Ponseti treatment in the stiffer clubfoot associated with arthrogryposis, but there are few studies analyzing long-term results. This study compares outcomes of the Ponseti method in 10-year-old children with idiopathic clubfoot and clubfoot associated with arthrogryposis.
MedicalResearch.com: Would you describe the Ponseti method? Does it require specialized or complicated training to implement treatment?
Response: Clubfoot was treated with surgery in the past. Now we use a more conservative treatment that is provided by pediatric orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists. The Ponseti method involved serial casting in infancy, Achillies tenotomies, and prolonged use of bracing during sleep until age 5 years.
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ClubfootNemours Image[/caption] [caption id="attachment_71051" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Nemours Image[/caption]
Dr. Jiyoung Ahn[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jiyoung Ahn, PhD
Dr. King[/caption]
Brett King, MD, PHD
Dr. King was named an American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) “Patient Care Hero”
for his work treating patients with severe alopecia areata
Dermatology Physicians of Connecticut
Fairfield, Connecticut
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain the condition of Alopecia Areata?
Response: Alopecia Areata (AA), an autoimmune form of hair loss, is common and its treatment has been revolutionized in the past ~3 years with approvals of 3 JAK inhibitors, bariticinib, ritlecitinib and deuruxolitinib. Prior to these approvals, off label treatments included the JAK inhibitors tofacitinib and ruxolitinib.
Prof. Lemesle[/caption]
Gilles Lemesle, M.D., Ph.D
Lille University Hospital, Lille, France