For Parents

 

Clubfoot information

What is clubfoot?

Clubfoot is a deformity present at birth that twists the foot downward and inward, making walking difficult or impossible. While it cannot be prevented, it can be corrected using a relatively inexpensive treatment process called the Ponseti method.

Read more about Clubfoot

Can it be treated?

Yes, clubfoot can be treated! We adhere to treatment through the Ponseti method, the gold standard of clubfoot treatment. The treatment phase involves weekly casting for four to eight weeks and, in most cases, a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure to lengthen the Achilles tendon, called a tenotomy. After this, in the maintenance phase, children wear a foot abduction brace for 23 hours a day for three months, and then at night and nap time until the age of five. Children born with clubfoot can take their first steps on completely straight feet thanks to early intervention and to this relatively simple, cost-effective treatment method.

Where can I get help?

We currently operate partner clubfoot clinics in 16 countries in Africa and Latin America. Click the “find a clinic” button below to see if there is a Hope Walks partner clubfoot clinic near you. If not, please contact us and we’ll do our best to refer you to someone who can help.

Find a Clinic

Parent Education Tool

A guide for parents of children with clubfoot. Download in your language.

English
Amharic
Chinchewa
Creole
French
Kinyarwanda
Kirundi
Portuguese
Spanish
Swahili

Video Resources

Hope Walks has been working in partnership with Medical Aid Films to create four films about clubfoot and the Ponseti method of treatment. These films are used to train parent advisors, as well as an educational tool for parents. Videos (with and without English/French subtitles) are available for streaming or download by clicking the images below. Currently the videos are in English, French and Portuguese. Within the next few weeks, Spanish, Amharic and Kinyarwanda translations will be available.

Be Part of the Solution

Stories from Our Families

Getting there is more than half the battle

Getting there is more than half the battle

Oct 30, 2026

Patience in Malawi Patience was just a few hours old when his family noticed his feet were not straight. They brought him home, and by morning the worry had set in. His family rushed him to the hospital. The answers did not come quickly. They went through several...

A Mom who wasn’t afraid

A Mom who wasn’t afraid

Nov 13, 2026

Emyr in the Dominican Republic When Vicky first heard that her newborn son had clubfoot, she didn’t panic. She had already seen how this story could end. A young cousin in her family was born with the same condition, and his treatment worked. So when Emyr arrived in...

From Stares to Steps

From Stares to Steps

Oct 19, 2026

Adhemar in Burundi Nyandwi didn’t hear about her newborn son’s clubfoot from a doctor. Instead, the news came from a close friend, her former maid of honor, in a room filled with her husband, mother and mother-in-law. The sudden shock and disbelief hung heavy in the...