Talipes Health Dictionary

Talipes: From 3 Different Sources


A birth defect (commonly called club-foot) in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position.

The cause may be pressure on the feet from the mother’s uterus, or a genetic factor.

The most common form is an equinovarus deformity, in which the heel turns inwards and the rest of the foot bends down and inwards.

It is treated by repeated manipulation of the foot and ankle, starting soon after birth.

A plaster cast, splint, or strapping may be used to hold the foot in position.

If this is not successful, surgery will be needed.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association
Also known colloquially as club-foot, this is a deformity apparent at birth, affecting the ankle and foot: the foot is twisted at the ankle-joint so that the sole does not rest on the ground when standing. The heel may be pulled up so that the individual walks on the toes (talipes equinus); the toes may be bent up and the heel used for walking (talipes calcaneus); the sole may be twisted inwards (varus) or outwards (valgus); or the individual may have a combination of deformities (equinovarus). The condition is probably the result of genetic predisposition with an environmental trigger. In the UK the incidence is one in 1,000 live births and talipes is more common in boys than in girls, with 10 per cent of sufferers having a ?rst-degree relative with the same condition. Clinically, there are two types of congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV): a milder form – resolving CTEV – in which full correction to the normal position is relatively easily achieved; and a more severe type

– resistant CTEV – which is harder to correct; and the infant has reduced calf-muscle bulk and abnormally shaped bones.

Treatment should be started at birth with the foot corrected to an improved position and then maintained in plaster of Paris or strapping

– a procedure performed weekly or more often. If the deformity is not corrected by around six weeks of age, a decision has to be made about whether to carry out surgical correction. If a deformity persists to maturity, a triple arthrodosis – fusion of three affected joints – may be required.

Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary

Club-foot

See TALIPES.... club-foot

Deformities

Malformations or distortions of part of the body. They may be present at birth, or they may be the result of injuries, or disease, or simply produced by bad posture, like the curved spine occasionally found in children. (See BURNS AND

SCALDS; CHEST, DEFORMITIES OF; TALIPES; FLAT-FOOT; JOINTS, DISEASES OF; KNOCK-KNEE; LEPROSY; PALATE, MALFORMATIONS OF; PARALYSIS; RICKETS; SCAR; SKULL; SPINE AND SPINAL CORD, DISEASES AND INJURIES OF.)... deformities

Manipulation

The passive movement (frequently forceful) of bones, joints, or soft tissues, carried out by orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists (see PHYSIOTHERAPY), osteopaths (see OSTEOPATHY) and chiropractors (see CHIROPRACTOR) as an important part of treatment – often highly e?ective. It may be used for three chief reasons: correction of deformity (mainly the reduction of fractures and dislocations, or to overcome deformities such as congenital club-foot – see TALIPES); treatment of joint sti?ness (particularly after an acute limb injury, or FROZEN SHOULDER); and relief of chronic pain (particularly when due to chronic strain, notably of the spinal joints – see PROLAPSED INTERVERTEBRAL DISC). Depending on the particular injury or deformity being treated, and the estimated force required, manipulation may be used with or without ANAESTHESIA. Careful clinical and radiological examination, together with other appropriate investigations, should always be carried out before starting treatment, to reduce the risk of harm, or disasters such as fractures or the massive displacement of an intervertebral disc.... manipulation

Varus

A term meaning inward displacement of a part of the body – for example, the knee (genu varum) or the ankle (talipes varus).... varus

Deformity

Any malformation or distortion of part of the body.

Deformities may be congenital (present from birth), or they may be acquired as a result of injury, disorder, or disuse.

Most congenital deformities are relatively rare.

Among the more common are club-foot (talipes) and cleft lip and palate.

Injuries that can cause deformity include burns, torn muscles, and broken bones.

Disorders that may cause deformity include nerve problems, some deficiencies, such as rickets, and Paget’s disease of the bone.

Disuse of a part of the body can lead to deformity through stiffening and contracture of unused muscles or tendons.

Many deformities can be corrected by orthopaedic techniques, plastic surgery, or exercise.... deformity

Foot

The foot has 2 vital functions: to support the weight of the body in standing or walking and to act as a lever to propel the body forwards.

The largest bone of the foot, the heelbone (see calcaneus), is jointed with the ankle bone (the talus). In front of the talus and calcaneus are the tarsal bones, which are jointed the 5 metatarsals. The phalanges are the bones of the toes; the big toe has 2 phalanges; all the other toes have 3.

Tendons passing around the ankle connect the muscles that act on the foot bones. The main blood vessels and nerves pass in front of and behind the inside of the ankle to supply the foot. The undersurface of the normal foot forms an arch supported by ligaments and muscles. Fascia (fibrous tissue) and fat form the sole of the foot, which is covered by a layer of tough skin.

Injuries to the foot commonly result in fracture of the metatarsals and phalanges. Congenital foot abnormalities are fairly common and include club-foot (see talipes), and claw-foot. A bunion is a common deformity in which a thickened bursa (fluid-filled pad) lies over the joint at the base of the big toe. Corns are small areas of thickened skin and are usually a result of tight-fitting shoes. Verrucas (see plantar warts) develop on the soles of the feet. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that mainly affects the skin in between the toes. Gout often affects the joint at the base of the big toe. An ingrowing toenail (see toenail, ingrowing) commonly occurs on the big toe and may result in inflammation and infection of the surrounding tissues (see paronychia). Foot-drop is the inability to raise the foot properly when walking and is the result of a nerve problem.... foot

Tendon Transfer

Surgery to reposition a tendon so that it makes a muscle perform a different function.

The tendon is cut from its original point of attachment and reattached elsewhere, making the muscle lie in a different position.

The procedure may be used to treat talipes or permanent muscle injury or paralysis.... tendon transfer

Vulvovaginitis

Inflammation of the vulva and vagina. Vulvovaginitis is often provoked as a result of the infections candidiasis or trichomoniasis. (See also vaginitis; vulvitis.)

walking Movement of the body by lifting the feet alternately and bringing 1 foot into contact with the ground before the other starts to leave it. A person’s gait is determined by body shape, size, and posture. The age at which children first walk varies enormously.

Walking is controlled by nerve signals from the brain’s motor cortex (see cerebrum), basal ganglia, and cerebellum that travel via the spinal cord to the muscles. Abnormal gait may be caused by joint stiffness, muscle weakness (sometimes due to conditions such as poliomyelitis or muscular dystrophy), or skeletal abnormalities (see, for example, talipes; hip, congenital dislocation of; scoliosis; bone tumour; arthritis). Children may develop knock-knee or bowleg; synovitis of the hip and Perthes’ disease are also common. Adolescents may develop a painful limp due to a slipped epiphysis (see femoral epiphysis, slipped) or to fracture or disease of the tibia, fibula or femur.

Abnormal gait may also be the result of neurological disorders such as stroke (commonly resulting in hemiplegia), parkinsonism, peripheral neuritis, multiple sclerosis, various forms of myelitis, and chorea.

Ménière’s disease may cause severe loss of balance and instability.... vulvovaginitis




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