Clinical, Radiological, Pedobarographic, and Quality of Life Outcomes of the Ponseti Treatment for Clubfoot: A Prospective Study from Iran

Abstract Background: Talipes equinovarus, also known as clubfoot, is a congenital anomaly that affects one newborn per 1000 live births. Its standard treatment strategy is the Ponseti casting management. This study aims to report the long-term outcomes of the Ponseti treatment in Iran.Methods: A prospective cohort study was enrolled to evaluate clinical outcomes, radiological results, pedobarographic measurements, and quality of life after the Ponseti treatment in patients with clubfoot who were followed for at least five years.Results: In this study, 25 clubfeet of 18 patients were included. Significant reductions in Pirani, Dimeglio, and CAP scores, improved ankle dorsiflexion, and acceptable pedobarographic indices were observed in this study. From the radiological evaluation indices, the calcaneal pitch and lateral talus-first metatarsal angles were significantly reduced. The quality of life of patients after five years of treatment was favorable, which was better in females. This study showed that the results of the Ponseti treatment remained acceptable after five years.Conclusions: The Ponseti management for clubfoot in the long term appears to maintain significant improvements. However, the rate of recurrence – albeit without disruption to daily activities - cannot be ignored.