In newborn babies, common foot and toe conditions includeclubfoot, flatfoot, and overlapping toes.
Most of these foot deformities are treated nonsurgically.
In many cases, they can simply be observed.
Petardj / Getty Images
However, it’s important to understand the deformity to ensure appropriate treatment is being provided.
This article discusses some common newborn baby foot problems.
It will also help you understand how these problems may affect your baby and how they are treated.
About half of babies with clubfoot have it in both feet.
Boys have clubfeet nearly twice as often as girls.
Approximately 1 to 4 babies in 1,000 are born with clubfoot.
Clubfoot doesn’t cause your baby pain.
Still, it can cause long-term problems, affecting their ability to walk.
Metatarsus Adductus
Metatarsus adductusis a common congenital foot condition.
The appearance of your baby’s sole will likely resemble a bean shape.
Surgery is rarely needed for metatarsus adductus.
Polydactyly
Polydactylymeans your baby has an extra toe or toes.
This condition is actually fairly common.
Though it can run in the family, sometimes polydactyly occurs without any family history.
Around 1 in 1,000 babies are born with polydactyly.
The treatment of polydactyly of the foot depends on where and how the extra toe or toes are connected.
Better-formed toes are surgically removed once your baby is about 1 year old, before they begin to walk.
It’s often associated with othercongenital or chromosomal abnormalities.
Congenital Curly Toes
Curly toes occur when one of your baby’s toes is abnormally rotated.
It usually occurs on both feet.
About 20% of cases of curly toe resolve on their own.
This condition happens in varying degrees and in some babies isn’t bothersome.
In other children, an overlapping toe can create difficulties with footwear.
It may require a surgical procedure to correct the deformity.
Most of the time these problems can be corrected with stretching exercises, casts, or corrective footwear.
Sometimes, however, surgery is necessary.
Your baby’s healthcare provider can help you decide the best way to treat your baby’s foot problems.
O’Shea RM, Sabatini CS.What is new in idiopathic clubfoot?Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med.
2016;9(4):470-477. doi:10.1007/s12178-016-9375-2
Boston Children’s Hospital.Clubfoot.
Rerucha CM, Dickison C, Baird DC.Lower extremity abnormalities in children.Am Fam Physician.
2017;96(4):226-233.
2015;23(10):604-11. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00034
Hosseinzadeh P.Curly toe.
Pediatric Orthopaedic Society Of North America (POSNA).
Talusan PG, Milewski MD, Reach JS.Fifth toe deformities: overlapping and underlapping toe.Foot Ankle Spec.
2013;6(2):145-9. doi:10.1177/1938640013477129
Boston Children’s Hospital.Metatarsus adductus.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital.Vertical talus.
