Novel Dynamic Foot Abduction Bar for Clubfoot Treatment

Bracing tolerance during Ponseti treatment is often challenging. Braces that allow more natural leg movement could improve tolerance and comfort, thereby improving outcomes. This manuscript introduces a novel dynamic clubfoot bar design that enables multiplanar movement. It reports on a prospective, assessor-blinded feasibility study in which 11 children aged 1-3 years with idiopathic clubfoot were randomized to wear the novel bar (experimental arm, n = 7) or their original Mitchell-Ponseti standard bar (control arm, n = 4) for 30 days, followed by 60 days of monitoring. Longer-term studies are needed to evaluate efficacy with and without Plantar Flexion Stop boots. This novel bar may be a promising alternative for children who do not tolerate a standard bar or for walking-age children who require extended wear times (ClinicalTrials.gov, [details omitted for blinded peer review]).

(1)The novel dynamic clubfoot bar may enable more natural leg movement and increase patient comfort.(2)The novel bar showed no inferiority to the standard bar during a 1-month trial period; however, longer-term studies are required to evaluate efficacy.