Ponseti treatment of clubfoot: exploring the experience of the parents

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Using Ponseti boots and bar treatment for the correction of clubfoot: exploring the experience of the parents through qualitative enquiry

  • IRAS ID

    349537

  • Contact name

    Lindsey Williams

  • Contact email

    Lindsey.williams8@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust,

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 10 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    Background: Approximately 650 babies are diagnosed with clubfoot every year in the UK. Untreated, clubfoot prevents children from walking normally and causes long-term pain. The Ponseti method is the gold standard treatment for clubfoot. A series of casts are applied to the infant’s foot to improve its position, possible surgery to lengthen the Achilles tendon, and a device consisting of boots attached to a rigid bar to maintain the corrected foot position are used. This device can cause skin sores because it is worn for long periods and limits movement. If the device is not worn the foot deformity can relapse and the child will be left with pain and disability. As the treatment is completed by the age of 5 it is the parents/carers of children who bear the full responsibility for the treatment.  

    Aims: To explore the experience of parents/carers with a child being treated by the Ponseti method 

    Methodology: A Qualitative enquiry approach using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis 

    Outputs: Key themes in the experience of parents/carers of children being treated using the Ponseti method

    Patient benefit: To provide greater insight to the clinicians supporting parents/carers enabling them to work better in partnership to reduce non-adherence

  • REC name

    Wales REC 7

  • REC reference

    25/WA/0088

  • Date of REC Opinion

    14 Mar 2025

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion