Foot deformities in the newborn — incidence and prognosis

Abstract

In a consecutive screening of 2,401 newborn, a foot deformity was noted in 100 of the infants (4.2 percent). At follow-up 5–6 years later, the children with a foot deformity were reexamined and compared with normal controls. Seventy-six infants had some adduction deformity of the foot at birth. At reexamination, 87 percent of the examined children had normal feet. No association was observed between sleeping prone and the presence of adduction deformity at the reexamination. Pes calcaneovalgus was diagnosed in 18 newborn. Of those reexamined, all had normal feet. Up to the age of 6 years, 4.3 percent of the 2,401 had been referred to the department of orthopedics because of a foot deformity; 50 because of an adduction deformity, and in 10 of these children the deformity was observed at birth. The investigation indicates that no treatment is required for pes calcaneovalgus or adductus deformity confined to the forefoot.