Vertical Talus
Shriners Children's offers casting, stretching and surgery to correct vertical talus, also known as extreme flatfoot or "rocker bottom foot."
Congenital Foot Deformities
Foot conditions that may be rare elsewhere are not rare here. We treat thousands of patients each year with congenital foot deformities.
While not all foot deformities are painful, if not treated early enough, they can affect a child’s development, including their ability to walk and perform daily tasks. Shriners Children’s is where children with congenital foot deformities receive comprehensive medical care from caring, compassionate physicians and care teams.
Our physicians diagnose and treat all types of pediatric congenital foot deformities in children, from newborns to teens and young adults. We'll work with you to find the right way to correct your child’s congenital foot deformity, so they can develop normally and reach their full potential. Maybe your child's goals, or your goals for your child, include walking and playing, running and throwing a football, riding a bicycle, or just doing what they want without pain or discomfort. We'll help them get there.
What are Congenital Foot Deformities?
Congenital (means the child was born with the condition) foot deformities can affect feet, toes and/or ankles. Many congenital foot deformities are common, like clubfoot; 1 in 1,000 children are born each year with a clubfoot. Other common congenital foot deformities include vertical talus, tarsal coalition, polydactyly, macrodactyly and cleft foot. Some congenital foot deformities have a genetic background, which means someone in your direct family history had the gene that caused the condition, and it was passed to your child.
Treating Congenital Foot Deformities
Often, we use techniques that take advantage of the plasticity (the ability to be molded) of child's foot, including casting, manipulation and splinting to address a foot deformity. Our approach help preserve the growth potential of a child's foot and minimize scarring and stiffness over more aggressive surgery.
With everything you need in a single location, you child’s congenital foot deformity needs can be met in one place, often without leaving the facility.
Personalized Care Across Generations
The special relationship we have with the children we treat for congenital foot deformities lasts far after we've stopped treating them. We often have parents bring their children to Shriners Children’s for congenital foot deformity treatment after receiving treatment here when they were children.
Below you’ll find additional information related to treating pediatric congenital foot deformities at Shriners Children’s.
Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.
I had no idea if my child would ever crawl, walk, lift his arms or enjoy a ‘normal’ life, but because of the care Chase has received…we have a child who runs, rides a bike, plays sports, swims and does so much more.
Locations for Congenital Foot Deformity Care
View All Related Locations
Shriners Children's provides specialty health care to children around the world. We offer a comprehensive range of treatments, services and support to improve the quality of our patients’ lives and help them reach their full potential.
Understanding Movement in Children
Motion analysis can help us better understand movement in children with congenital foot disorders and develop a more personalized treatment plan. Our technology, which includes some of the same motion-capture and technical special effects used in movies and video games, collects information that provides Shriners Children’s care teams with guidance for a child's surgery, braces and/or rehabilitation.
Conditions We Treat
Clubfoot / Club feet
Talipes equinovarus (TEV) is the medical term for "clubfoot," and Shriners Children's physicians are specialists in this common and treatable pediatric orthopedic condition.
Next Steps
Request an Appointment
Families and caregivers seeking treatment should start by contacting us for an appointment.
Log in to the Patient Portal
Parents and guardians of existing patients can email, request records, schedule appointments and more.
Refer a Patient
Physicians and healthcare providers can request appointments, start transfers or contact us with questions.