Dillsburg, PA (June 3, 2020) ? In recognition of World Clubfoot Day, June 3, Hope Walks has partnered with Medical Aid Films to release a new series of four training videos about this treatable disability.
Hope Walks led this effort on behalf of the clubfoot community and worked with Medical Aid Films to create this video series that will be used to educate parents, clinicians and parent advisors. Funding was made possible by the generous support of CURE International and the Vitol Foundation.?
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, the gold standard of clubfoot treatment.?
Several years ago, June 3 was named World Clubfoot Day in honor of the birthday of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, who developed the minimally invasive clubfoot-correction technique of casts and braces, which now bears his name.
The initial process involves weekly casting for four to eight weeks and, in most cases, a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure to lengthen the Achilles tendon. 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.
?We can?t think of a better way to celebrate World Clubfoot Day and honor the legacy of Dr. Ponseti than the release of these videos today,? Hope Walks President Scott Reichenbach said. ?Education is key to free children from the burden of clubfoot. It is extremely sad to hear stories about children who never are treated simply because they had no idea clubfoot can be corrected.?
Hope Walks is a non-profit that treats children with clubfoot in Latin America and Africa. It is part of the Global Clubfoot Initiative and its Run Free 2030 campaign. The campaign?s goal is to provide access to treatment for at least 70% of children born with clubfoot in low- and middle-income countries by 2030. Currently, less than 15% of children in these countries access treatment.?
Videos are available in English, French and Portuguese. Spanish, Amharic and Kinyarwanda translations will be released in the coming weeks. Available videos include:
- What is clubfoot and how is it treated? An Overview
- 10 steps of a clubfoot treatment clinic
- The Ponseti method of clubfoot treatment
- Use of foot abduction braces during the Ponseti method
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About Hope Walks: What began in 2006 as CURE Clubfoot Worldwide has grown into Hope Walks?and we plan to keep going (and keep growing) until all children have access to quality care for clubfoot. We currently partner with 136 clinics in 16 countries in Latin America and Africa. We pair quality clubfoot treatment with compassionate care from counselors (called parent advisors), all while empowering local healthcare workers and educating parents and caregivers.?