A baby's foot turning inwards: metatarsus adductus, corrected.
An anonymised case from our clinic in Dorking: a young child born with a foot that turned inwards, and how early corrective bracing straightened it without surgery.
- Patient
- Infant, foot turning inwards from birth
- Treatment
- Corrective boots, day and night
- Timeline
- About a year
- Outcome
- Foot corrected
The case
Start to finish.
A young child was brought to Advanced Footcare Group having been born with a foot that turned inwards, a condition known as metatarsus adductus. It had taken the NHS months even to reach a diagnosis, and left untreated a deformity like this can become fixed as a child grows and begins to walk. The clinicians assessed the position of the foot and how flexible it was, checking how far it could be guided back towards a normal alignment. At that age an infant's foot is still soft and highly mouldable, so the window to correct it gently, without surgery, is early and time-sensitive. That is why the delay in diagnosis mattered.
A course of corrective bracing was started. The child wore an adjustable corrective boot (a Bebax-type boot) during the day, set to hold the foot in a slightly improved position, along with boots worn at night. At regular review appointments the boots were adjusted in stages to coax the foot further round as it grew, so it tracked straight rather than turning in as the child began to stand and walk. The correction was carried out steadily over about a year, with reviews roughly every few weeks to check progress and reset the boots as the foot responded.
The outcome
How it turned out.
The foot was corrected over that year. Because it was caught and treated early, it avoided what could otherwise have become permanent, harder-to-treat foot damage, an outcome the delay in NHS diagnosis had put at risk.
About the condition
What Is Metatarsus Adductus?
Metatarsus adductus is a common foot shape in newborn babies where the front half of the foot turns inwards, towards the big toe side, while the heel stays in its normal position. Seen from underneath, the outer edge of the foot curves rather than running straight, which is why it is sometimes described as a bean-shaped foot. It is generally thought to be linked to the way the baby was lying in the womb.
Many mild, flexible cases improve on their own as the baby grows. It is worth having the foot assessed if the curve is not improving, if the foot feels stiff and does not easily move towards a straight position, or if you are simply unsure. An assessment answers the question either way.
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Common questions.
Will metatarsus adductus correct itself?
Many mild, flexible cases improve on their own as the baby grows. Stiffer cases, or ones that are not improving, are less likely to resolve without help, and those are the cases where early treatment makes the biggest difference. An assessment tells you which kind your child has.
What is a Bebax boot?
A Bebax-type boot is an adjustable corrective shoe for babies. It can be set to hold the front of the foot in a slightly straighter position, then adjusted in stages at review appointments as the foot responds. In this case it was worn during the day, alongside boots worn at night.
How long does treatment for metatarsus adductus take?
It depends on how stiff the foot is and how early treatment starts. In this case the correction took about a year, with reviews roughly every few weeks. Your clinician will explain what to expect for your child after the first assessment.