The Ponseti Method

Without treatment, children born with clubfoot cannot walk properly. However, treatment using the Ponseti method is extremely effective and usually results in normal appearance and functionality of the foot or feet for life.

The good news is that the Ponseti Method of treatment, which has become accepted as the gold standard of clubfoot treatment over the last 5-10 years, is very easy on the child, and very effective in correcting the foot without major surgery in 95% of cases. The Ponseti Method is endorsed by renowned medical organizations such as the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institutes of Health.

After centuries of treating clubfoot with rudimentary casting and bracing, reconstructive surgery became a popular option from the 1950s through the late 1980's but has since been found to lead to considerable health issues. The feet tend to become stiff, weak and painful, often resulting in the need for additional surgeries.

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About miraclefeet

Our Mission

Approximately 1 million children in the world are living with untreated clubfoot. Another is born every three minutes.

Without proper treatment, many of these children walk only with great difficulty. The impact of this birth defect imposes physical, social and financial burdens that can be devastating - yet are avoidable.

The miraclefeet mission is to improve access to treatment of clubfoot for children in developing countries

The Issue

Clubfoot, a congenital birth defect where one or both feet turn inward and downward, is the one of major causes of physical disability in the world today. Of the 170,000 children born with clubfoot each year, 80% live in developing countries where access to effective treatment is either limited or non-existent.

When left untreated, children with clubfoot learn to walk on their ankles or the sides of their feet. As a result, they live with considerable physical pain and the agony of humiliation as they attempt to involve themselves in the activities and duties of every day life.

The traditional method for treating clubfoot in many parts of the world has been surgery. While initially effective (particularly in addressing the deformity cosmetically), surgery is extremely expensive and often leads to serious long-term health challenges. Often surgically-corrected feet become stiff, weak and painful resulting in the need for additional surgeries later in life.

The Solution

miraclefeet builds on the work already being done by Ponseti International Association and others to train doctors in developing countries. Today, more than 300 doctors in 55 countries are trained in the Ponseti Method. Yet, there is a gap between training and treatment of children in many countries, particularly in the poorest sectors of society.

miraclefeet was created by a group of concerned parents and pediatric orthopaedic surgeons to close that gap by increasing funding for treatment. Using performance-based grants miraclefeet will work with partner hospitals, doctors and healthcare organizations to treat more children.

Starting in Brazil and rolling out on a country-by-country basis, miraclefeet will adapt and refine its model as it expands. Leveraging relationships with international Ponseti advocates, PIA and local NGOs, miraclefeet will partner with existing organizations to expand its reach as it grows.