My name is Rachel and I was born with 2 club feet in 1973. While I don’t remember any of it, I endured multiple surgeries before the age of 2 and learned to walk in braces. My paternal grandmother also had one club foot, so I was always told (by family) that it was genetic and that it skipped a generation. My father and his brothers did not have club foot yet I was born with both feet clubbed.
For the most part, having corrected club feet has never held me down. My parents never coddled me or told me that I was any different from other children. In fact, I enlisted in the USAF at 18 and made it successfully through 3 years (I chose to get out when I became pregant with my first child). However, I have always dealt with a great deal of foot pain.
Over the past few years I think that arthritis has begun to set in. I can always tell when the weather is going to change and it doesn’t take much, these days, to upset my feet enough to where I can barely walk.
I am also concerned that my children are reaching child bearing age and I don’t want them to experience what my parents (or I) went through.
Therefore, I’m interested in learning about everyone else’s stories, seeing what works for others and seeing if what works for me also works for others.
Thanks!
Rachel
Hi Rachel, I admire everyone who has shared their life struggles with club feet and thankful there is a forum to do so. My name is Cynthia Iam 24 and I struggle with club feet(both). Rachel your story worries me because you now began having trouble walking and facing arthritis, and at my age now Iam struggling with all these issues it just makes me think I where would I be by the time I’m 40 🙁
Hi it’s very interesting to find a current blog and to hear what others are going through. I was born in 1975 with 2 club feet. I also had numerous surgeries on primarily my left foot, the right needed no further surgery after the initial one at 6 weeks old. I’ve never let it stop me doing anything though running, shoes etc were always an issue when I was younger.
However in my adult life pain is just a daily reminder of the club foot. I can’t really remember exactly when the pain started for me as it’s always been there. Some days are worse than others and if I’m out and about all day on my feet I literally cannot walk by evening and the next day.
I’ve recently started getting pain and problems in my knee and hip and it’s been confirmed as early onset of arthritis. I’ve always been fairly active, swimming for a club as a child which looking back probably helped defer the pain. High impact sports are now a distant dream as its too much pressure on my joints. I’ve taken up yoga which helps but I’m still in constant pain. My physiotherapist today advised to go cycling and swimming and to do strength work on my leg and calve muscles to take pressure of my knee.
It’s all a bit rubbish really and it does get me down. I’m only 40 but feel like my body is much older!!!!!! I’ve two young boys and do struggle to keep up with them but they just know that mummy cannot run with them.
Pain relief doesn’t really do anything for me so hoping these exercises will help.
Would be interested to hear other people’s stories and any other advice on dealing with the pain and lack of mobility it can cause.