Ignacio Ponseti Foundation Poland

02/07/2025

Smoking and Clubfoot – A Critical Warning for Expectant Mothers 🚨

A large body of scientific research confirms a clear link between smoking during pregnancy and the risk of a serious birth defect in babies: clubfoot.

Studies conducted in the United States have shown that:
🚬 smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy significantly increases the risk of this defect
🚬 if there is a family history of clubfoot and the mother smokes during pregnancy, the risk increases more than 20-fold
🚬 the first trimester is crucial, as this is when the fundamental anatomical structures of the fetus are forming
(Honein MA, Paulozzi LJ, Moore CA. - "Family history, maternal smoking, and clubfoot: an indication of a gene-environment interaction.")

If you smoked ci******es during pregnancy, your child’s clubfoot is not idiopathic (of unknown cause) – it is teratogenic, meaning caused by an external harmful factor, in this case to***co smoke.

👉 If you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant – quitting smoking is one of the most important steps you can take for your baby’s health. It’s not just about the lungs – it’s about the entire body that is just beginning to form.

20/06/2025

Thank you Ponseti International Association 🧡💛

08/06/2025

World Clubfoot Day holds a central place in our foundation’s calendar. We always celebrate it with great joy. We are deeply moved that each year, more and more parents choose to take part in our picnic! 🧡 This year, we were honored by the presence of as many as 230 participants 🎉🎉🎉

This year’s picnic was dedicated to older children who are finishing or have already finished their journey with the foot abduction brace. We talked about how to recognize a relapse and what to do if it occurs. We demonstrated a calf stretching exercise that is very helpful for children after the bracing phase and often quite challenging to perform. There were games, fun activities, and lots and lots of conversations and meaningful topics.

We are very grateful for this past year and we look forward to seeing you next year at the 10th Anniversary World Clubfoot Day Picnic in Poland! 🎉

03/06/2025

Access to proper treatment for clubfoot is still limited in some parts of the world.
Children continue to suffer from a disability that can be effectively corrected, giving them the chance to live a full life in every aspect.
Let’s work together to improve access to one of the most beautiful treatment methods in the world — the Ponseti method.

Happy ! This year our theme is Access and Awareness - Clubfoot Care for Every Child: Timely, Effective, and Accessible. One of our many goals laid out in is raising global awareness about clubfoot and expanding access to timely, high quality and effective care, ensuring that no child is left untreated. Our new paper in BMJ Global Health outlines the current global landscape, treatment gaps, and policy solutions for scaling the proven Ponseti method.

Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-017861

03/06/2025

🎗 World Clubfoot Day – a day to remind ourselves that every child deserves a chance for a healthy, active life.

It is also the birthday of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti – the creator of one of the most groundbreaking methods for treating clubfoot.
His approach – gentle, safe, and based on deep understanding of child anatomy and development – has revolutionized the way we treat this congenital condition.

But the method alone is not enough.
Responsible treatment means more than just knowing the casting protocol or applying a brace. It’s about:

✅ Understanding that every stage of treatment matters – from the first contact, through casting, tenotomy, to guiding the child during and after the bracing phase
✅ Being able to observe and respond – because every child is different
✅ Continuous learning and humility – because the Ponseti method is not a rigid checklist, but a process that requires knowledge, experience, and collaboration
✅ Partnering with parents – they are with the child every day, and their involvement plays a crucial role in the success of therapy
✅ Developing soft skills – empathy, respectful communication with families, calm and clear conversations, and above all, respect for the small, medium, or grown-up patient

On this special day, we want not only to thank Dr. Ponseti for his legacy,
but also to ask all specialists to reflect: Are we truly treating responsibly? Are we following the method as it was intended?

Children don’t have time for adult mistakes.
Let every treatment be thoughtful, precise, and full of respect for the young patient.

02/06/2025

World Clubfoot Day – AWARENESS WEEK 6/7 (2025)

There are no excuses in the Ponseti method. This is not a “maybe,” “let’s try,” or “didn’t work for us” method. It’s a proven treatment — but only when done correctly, consistently, and by trained specialists.And that requires one thing: parental responsibility.

We often hear:
🔸 “We didn’t know the brace was so important.”
🔸 “No one said full-time bracing was needed.”
🔸 “The foot looked fine, so we stopped early.”
🔸 “Ponseti didn’t work for us.”
🔸 “We had to switch to AFOs because our child didn’t tolerate the brace.”

We understand BUT let’s be clear: knowledge brings responsibility.
And avoiding knowledge often becomes a convenient excuse.

If I know — I must act.
If I don’t know — I can say: “It’s not my fault.”

Many parents lock themselves in a bubble of ignorance, surrounding themselves only with information that feels comfortable, reassuring, and aligns with their past decisions — even if those decisions are wrong. They avoid hard questions, ignore reliable sources, and resist facing the facts. Because doing so would mean one thing: something needs to change.
And that takes effort, courage, and often — admitting a mistake.

💥 No effective treatment without responsibility.
💥 No responsibility without knowledge.
💥 And no knowledge without the choice to face the truth — even when it’s hard.

You don’t have to be a specialist.
But you do have to be ready to learn and act — for your child’s future.

01/06/2025

World Clubfoot Day – AWARENESS WEEK 5/7 (2025)

Why is a parent's knowledge of the Ponseti Method so important? 🧡

Treating clubfoot isn’t just the doctor’s job. It’s a shared journey – between the doctor, the child, and the parent. And a well-informed, involved parent can make all the difference. Why?

✅ Because parents can recognize if treatment is being done correctly.
✅ Because parents support brace wear – month after month, year after year.
✅ Because parents are often the first to notice a relapse.
✅ Because parents ask questions, seek answers, and don’t accept shortcuts.
✅ Because parents protect their children from ineffective or incorrect treatment.

You don’t need to be a doctor to understand how the Ponseti Method should be applied.
You just need to want to learn, ask, read, and listen to those who’ve walked this path before.

🧡 That’s why, as a foundation, we say it clearly:
An informed parent is the greatest ally in successful treatment.

01/06/2025

World Clubfoot Day – AWARENESS WEEK 4/7 (2025)

Treating clubfoot is not just about casts, braces, or exercises. It's first and foremost a precise medical method, based on a deep understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of a child’s foot. It’s a carefully designed approach, where every movement by the doctor matters.

🧡 Dr. Ignacio Ponseti dedicated years to observing, analyzing, and perfecting a technique that now gives children the chance to live healthy, mobile lives – without unnecessary surgeries or suffering. But this method only works when it is followed exactly as its creator intended – no shortcuts, no guessing, no improvisation.

Every stage – from the first contact, through casting, tenotomy, and bracing – requires precision, knowledge, and experience.
This is not a space for “own versions” of the method. It is a space for respecting the details and taking responsibility for a child’s future.

That’s why it’s so important that doctors and therapists treating children with clubfoot are properly trained and aware of the importance of every step.

🧡 Precision is not a luxury.
Precision is the foundation of success.
Precision is a chance for a pain-free future.

01/06/2025

To all Children – our little heroes – we wish a world full of joy, smiles, and hope.

May each day bring you new adventures,
the courage to dream, and the strength to overcome every challenge.
Your perseverance and bravery are a constant inspiration to us.

To all Parents and Caregivers – thank you for supporting your children with love and determination on their journey toward mobility.
We believe that together – as a community – we can build a future where every child with clubfoot receives the care and treatment they truly deserve.

We wish each of us a childlike curiosity for the world.

With all our hearts 🧡
The Ponseti Foundation Team

30/05/2025

World Clubfoot Day – AWARENESS WEEK 3/7 (2025)

Using an AFO instead of a foot abduction brace in clubfoot = a high risk of recurrence

Many parents of children with clubfoot sometimes ask about AFOs (ankle-foot orthoses) as an alternative to the Mitchell brace. It’s important to be clear: ⛔️ using an AFO in clubfoot treatment carries a very high risk of recurrence. The risk is as high as 83% 💥

⛔️ An AFO does not control external rotation of the foot – and this function is crucial for maintaining correction after Ponseti treatment
⛔️ These orthoses are designed primarily for other orthopedic conditions – such as muscle weakness, cerebral palsy, or gait abnormalities – not for preventing clubfoot relapse
⛔️ Even if an AFO seems more "comfortable" or "custom-fitted", it does not replace the function of a foot abduction brace

In cases where the Ponseti brace was replaced by an AFO, relapse is often observed, requiring renewed treatment – including serial casting and sometimes even a second tenotomy.

🛑 So parents – stay alert! An AFO might look like a modern solution, but it is not appropriate for clubfoot. Understanding the mechanics of relapse and the importance of proper bracing is essential.

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28/05/2025

World Clubfoot Day - AWARENESS WEEK 1/7 2025

What is the Ponseti method?

The Ponseti method is the most effective and widely used treatment worldwide for congenital clubfoot. It was developed by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti in the 1950s and has revolutionized the approach to this condition.
The Ponseti method is also a philosophy in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children with congenital clubfoot. It has its own principles and guidelines.

Treatment consists of several stages:

🧡 gentle casting – a series of 5–8 plaster casts gradually correcting the foot’s position
🧡 Achilles tendon tenotomy (in most cases) – performed under local anesthesia
🧡 foot abduction brace (e.g., Mitchell brace) – worn as recommended for several years to prevent recurrence of the deformity

✅ The Ponseti method helps avoid invasive surgeries and, when properly followed, gives children the chance to live pain-free and fully functional lives.

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14/05/2025

Mark your calendars for June 3-5, 2026 for the Ponseti International Clubfoot Symposium. The event will be held at the Iowa Memorial Union along the river of the beautiful University of Iowa Campus. More details will follow regarding registration and hotel information. We hope you will attend the International Clubfoot Symposium June 3-5, 2026. Make sure to place it on your calendar today!