Sickle foot

Sickle foot is a deformity of the foot in which the foot is curved and therefore points inwards like a «sickle». This deformity can lead to problems with walking and running in children and adolescents. It usually affects both the forefoot and the midfoot.

Sickle foot is a common deformity, particularly in newborns and in early childhood, and is usually caused by a lack of space or a restricted position before birth. This deformity is therefore usually congenital and rarely occurs later in a young child due to a muscular imbalance.

There is often no pain or restrictions with the mostly mild forms of sickle foot. If symptoms occur, pain on the outer edge of the foot, problems choosing shoes or increased stumbling are possible. The symptoms usually occur when walking long distances or during sporting activities. Sometimes the deformity also leads to other problems, such as uneven strain on the foot and ankle joints.

Treatment should be started early if necessary and depends on the severity of the deformity. In mild cases, you can wait and see. In moderate cases or if there is no improvement, physiotherapy with bandaging or taping as well as special shoes can be considered. In severe cases with no tendency to improve, therapy with corrective casts can achieve a significant improvement in a short time, which must then be maintained after therapy with adjustments to or in the shoe or splints in order to secure the result in the long term.

Surgical correction is a rarity in this clinical picture and, depending on the extent, can usually be carried out with small incisions (minimally invasive) to ultimately improve the foot position.

Most sickle feet are mild and improve significantly within a few months of birth. In many cases, the deformities grow out of themselves over time, so to speak.

In severe cases, short-term plaster therapy is usually sufficient. Long-term studies have shown that this procedure normalises foot shape and function until the end of growth and that the quality of life remains very satisfactory into middle and old age.

Long-term restrictions due to a former sickle foot, regardless of the initial severity, are extremely rare when treated with Augenmass.