I’m 48 year old male born in 1970 with bilateral club feet when the first started doing the Ponseti method. I have had only the castings, the Achilles’ tendon lengthening, and the metal bars with the shoes when I was a baby and toddler.
I feel I was lucky that I never had to go through the multitude of surgeries. My doctor was at the time of my birth the orthopaedic surgeon for the NY Knick’s. He was the only doctor that advised against surgery and to do the casting which was brand new for club feet.
My mother’s choice of not doing surgery led me to an active lifestyle. For some reason I developed a love and passion for tennis. I played junior tennis and then attempted to play tennis on the minor league tennis tour. Because I never knew better I thought I could do everything anyone else could do.
In my late teens I got shin splints for the first time and went to the doctor and for the first time heard. How do run and jump with that kind of deficiency with my feet. I also answered I just don’t know anything else. Granted I’m not as fast or have the movement as most other players at my level of tennis. I’m just like any other tennis player except I don’t have any dorsiflexion in my feet/ankles. I mean zero. For the most part I live without pain except when I have an injury.
I feel lucky I have never had to go through the surgeries most people have with my condition. The only thing that bothered me growing up was the tell tail sign of club foot. The lack of muscle development in my calves. I have the these normal and muscular thighs and goes to nothing in my calves. That’s because of my lack of dorsiflexion.
Nice story. Don’t see many guys showing those telltale signs now. When you do see clubfeet they are very obvious. Thank you for sharing.