01/05/2026
James was born with clubfoot, a condition in which one or both feet are twisted severely inward. Babies who are born with clubfoot have a shorter Achilles tendon, the tissue on the back of the leg that connects muscle to bone, which pulls the foot out of position.
His parents were not prepared for the news, but once James began treatment with the UW Health Kids orthopedic team, their stress was transformed into trust that their son was in the right place for care. And they want to offer reassurance to other families who learn their baby has clubfoot.
James was treated with a widely accepted, essentially painless approach called the Ponseti Method, which involves weekly casting applications that gradually realign the child’s tendons, ligaments, joint capsules and bones. Children typically need five to seven weekly castings.
Following the casting, the second phase requires the child to wear a special boots-and-bar brace that keeps the child’s feet in the corrected position while preventing a relapse. At first, the child wears the brace 23 hours a day, eventually tapering down to only wearing the brace overnight until treatment is completed — usually by age 4 or 5.
Dr. Lindsey Boyke, a non-operative pediatric orthopedic specialist who cared for James, says the beauty of the Ponseti Method is that it causes minimal distress to the child and, through casting, corrects three of the four abnormalities that comprise clubfoot. The fourth abnormality is typically corrected through a surgical procedure called a tenotomy, which involves cutting the Achilles tendon so it will grow on its own to normal length. This eventually lets the ankle move more freely and heal in proper position. James required a tenotomy on both feet, which was performed when he was four months old.
“James hit milestones early — walking and running — and just kept going from there. Seeing him thrive physically has been incredible. The care we received from the UW Health Kids orthopedic team was outstanding,” says his father, Michael.
