Managing children with clubfoot

Online Course

Managing Children with Clubfoot

Around the world over 150,000 babies are born with clubfoot each year

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16-17 hours

Course instructor

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

The ICRC is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate.

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Introduction

In 2017 Physiopedia and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Global Clubfoot Initiative (GCI) are collaborating to deliver a free online course on Managing Children with Clubfoot. The course is joint funded by ICRC and Physiopedia, the ACT Team and partners, including the University of Oxford, CURE International and Global Clubfoot Initiative have kindly provided content for the course, which is also being supplemented with additional material from global experts.

Clubfoot is a complex, congenital deformity of the foot also known as ‘congenital talipes equinovarus’ (CTEV) caused by the abnormal development of a baby’s bones, ligaments and muscles whilst in the womb. Around the world, 150,000 – 200,000 babies with clubfoot are born each year, approximately 80% of these will be in low and middle income countries. Without treatment, the clubfoot deformity causes a lifetime of disability as the affected individual experiences pain and difficulty in walking. People with untreated clubfoot find it difficult to access education, employment and experience exclusion from society. However, most cases of clubfoot can be successfully treated by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare workers with methods that may include a combination of stretching, casting, and bracing.

Aims

This course aims to provide a basic theoretical understanding of clubfoot and to align global understanding of the theoretical principles underlying the management of children with clubfoot.

Outline

Section 1: Introduction to Clubfoot
Section 2: Assessing Children with Clubfoot
Section 3: Understanding the Management of Children with Clubfoot
Section 4: Effective Management Considerations

Target audience

This course is aimed at Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy clinicians, students and assistants. Other interested professionals such as prosthetists/orthotists, occupational therapists, nurses or medical doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.

Practicalities

Availability - this course is online and can be completed on your own schedule.

This course will be divided into 4 sections and it is suggested (but not required) that each section be completed over the duration of approximately a week. Please note that no deadlines are applied and this course can be started and completed according to your own schedule. We expect the required elements of each section/week to take around 16-17 hours depending on your schedule and learning style. Additionally there are many optional resources provided and if you choose to review these the course could take significantly longer to complete.

It’s not going to be easy, we’ll expect you to work hard for your completion certificate! You won’t be sitting back and watching webinars, we’ll expect you to undertake reading tasks, complete quizzes, perform literature searches and other learning activities. You’ll need to reflect on your own experiences and make written contributions to the discussion forum. This forum is where we can learn from each other’s experiences and knowledge from all around the world! At the end of the course, when you have completed all of the required elements, you will be able to download a certificate of completion.

Requirements to complete this course

In order to complete this course and receive a course completion certificate you will need to:

abide by the Plus Community Culture
log as completed all the required learning activities
actively participate in the course forum discussions
pass a final quiz with a score of 80% or more
complete a course evaluation form

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course you will be able to:

Describe the role of three anatomical structures in the foot and ankle that play a role in Clubfoot
Identify the four major components characteristic of Clubfoot
Recognise the difference between Idiopathic, Positional and Secondary Clubfoot
Describe the incidence or prevalence of Clubfoot in your region
Summarise an example article of quality published evidence on the prevalence or incidence of Clubfoot
Identify the four key features of clubfoot using C-A-V-E
Interpret the Pirani Score to assess and monitor Clubfoot deformity
Explain the role of the multidisciplinary team in the management of Clubfoot
Examine the role of a Physiotherapist within the multidisciplinary team in the management of Clubfoot
Explain the role of parents/carers within the multidisciplinary team in the management of Clubfoot
Evaluate the use of the Ponseti Method in the management of Clubfoot
Identify when a Tenotomy is indicated
Explain the role of bracing in preventing recurrence of CAVE signs
Analyse the issue of adherence to the brace regime
Compare and contrast two types of different Foot Abduction Braces used in the management of Clubfoot
develop a treatment plan utilising evidence based therapeutic interventions based on an assessment of a child with Clubfoot
Recognise four common errors that may occur during Clubfoot Treatment
Identify two causes for Clubfoot Treatment not progressing
Describe three features of Atypical Clubfoot
Identify a sign of Recurrent Clubfoot Deformity evident during Gait
Discuss the difference in treatment required in Clubfoot in Older Children
Outline three key elements for a successful Clubfoot Programme.

Accessibility

For special needs or accommodations please contact us with details of how we can meet your needs.

Featured reviews

This kind of quiz helps us students to boost our learning experience!

Chibwe Samson

Physiotherapist

Malawi

This course is of much help to teachers and learners as it is simple to follow its instructions. On the other hand, this course can enhance our Physiotherapy knowledge in the clinical setting when managing children with club foot and also improve our clinical practices!

Daniel Masina

Physiotherapist

Malawi

Quite an intense foundational course on the Ponseti method. However, one that gives confidence in the approach and an understanding of all involved. A great place to pick up on additional resources and reach out to relevant networks.

Lauren Heydenrych

Physiotherapist

South Africa

This course is really top quality, thank you for sharing all this knowledge!

Antoine Gorski

Physiotherapist

Finland

I have already had exposure to the treatment of club foot via performing an assistant role at a club foot clinic. This course has really helped me to consolidate my knowledge and will assist in growing my confidence so that I can better educate parents/families.

Hailey Williams

Physiotherapist

Australia

This course has been a timely help to me as a professional. Not only to develop my profession but also to hear and learn from others in the field of club foot management. Before this course, all I could see were children with difficulties in walking on deformed and painful feet and sadly, there was little I could do to help. I'm so glad and grateful to all the organizers of this programme because, through it, I can now do more!

Byonanebye Isaac

Physiotherapist

Uganda

The entire course carries an immense amount of information for the knowledge thirsty mind. Very well started off with the basic introduction of the club foot deformity, gradually taking the reader into more specific details of its diagnoses, levels of severity and treatment methods followed by treatment outcomes. Interviews with experienced doctors in the field from all over the world and case studies of children coming from different backgrounds make the learning experience more interesting. The participation in forums with discussions keeps the mind actively involved in the course. Overall it's a very good course and I am glad I took it 🙂

Kavita Gandhalikar

Physiotherapist

Canada

This has been an amazing course; just the right content and the right length of time. Sharing with all of us about the Ponseti Method for treating Clubfoot has been a eye opener. Learning that no child, regardless of age should not be left unattended brings gladness and hope.

Physiotherapist

Country not set

Well done! This course was very helpful in understanding better what clubfoot is and how we as physiotherapists can help. This has also further widened up my knowledge about the Ponsetti techniques, and the different outcome measures including the Pirani test that can be used. Well done to all those that helped to make this course possible. It truly shows that hard work does pay off. As this was a splendid course to follow and participate in. Thank you for such a wonderful experience.

Physiotherapist

Country not set

This course was excellent. It provides a good basic understanding of the theory of clubfoot and of Ponsetti intervention and does also show what needs to be done practically. Practitioners still need to have some practical training and practice and this is expressed clearly. I wish I had had this some years back.

Physiotherapist

Country not set

I am grateful to you, Physiopedia and all your partners who contributed to make this very disabling but yet completely treatable condition course for us. This will indeed result in increased availability of treatment centers around the world, thus reducing the effect of this condition.

Physiotherapist

Country not set

First of all, I feel this is the first time I really understand the clubfoot topic although I did read about it before. The course was done so well, seriously deep in all the elements of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. I feel I have a much clearer understanding of what parents and children are going through and know much more of what to look at during the years following the maintenance phase.

Physiotherapist

Country not set