My name is Sarah and I am 34 years old.
I was born with severe bilateral clubfoot. I had surgery on both feet before I was a year old. Then I was in casts for a year. I learned to walk in those casts. =) Then I wore shoes on the wrong feet (to straighten my feet) for awhile.
I was lucky, I only had those first surgeries and have been able to have a pretty “normal” life. I was able to be on my high school volleyball team. I was able to hike and run. The past 2 years I have run a 5k a month. I am training for a 10 mile run in the next few months.
The only time I feel real pain is after a long run, or a day of standing. This past winter I went to Disneyland and walked an average of 10 miles a day. At the end of those days I was in real pain and would have to take pain killers.
Over the past few years I have noticed my left foot has a decreased range of motion, and cramps up more after workouts. I have never been able to wear high heels, but I used to be able to wear baby heals (about an inch to an inch and a half), but now I can’t seem to do that.
I have a question for this community. What happens next? I am afraid of what will happen as my range of motion decreases and my pain increases? I have an appointment with a podiatrist next month, but I am nervous over what I will learn? Are there some options that are better than others?
Hi guys I have had a left club foot since birth I’m now 53 years … 24/10/2017 I had an ancle fusion because I was falling over a lot and it was starting to affect my life…so now I’ve been 6 weeks in normal footwear trainers are the most comfortable although my foot is now completely straight I feel I’ve now gained another disability of a stiff leg which means I cannot walk very well very slowly is all I can manage … Is this normal will it emprove in time I’m now worried that I won’t be able to do my job I work in a hospital and am on my feet 7 & half hours a day 5 days a week I’ve only 6 weeks left before I’m due back …. thinking I might have made a wrong decision don’t know what to do …. anyone else out there been through the same thing …. thanks xxxx
Hi Sarah, where do you live? Maybe I can help guide you to a skilled doc. Take care 🙂
I was having similar problems with my right foot. I went to Merrell Foot Labs and had him design some boots and inserts to help me with that. I went from limping everywhere I went to forgetting I had bilateral club foot at all. Being able to take it for granted is where I want to be for the rest of my life. I can’t guarantee that the foot lab can help you like it helped me, but I’d say give them a call and see if they think its something they can work with.
The owner, Randy Merrel created Merrel Boots, the hiking boot company. Now he does this because his father was born with club-foot and he wants to help people like us live a comfortable life into our old age.
Here’s the website: http://merrellfootlab.com/