Archive for lower extremity
Innovative flatfoot surgery releases Quinn’s inner athlete
By the time he was 10, Quinn’s parents had tried almost everything. Dawn would sometimes massage his feet to relieve the pain and tightness caused by flexible flatfoot, a condition in which a child has very little or no arch in their feet. Joseph did physical therapy exercises with him at night. But despite their ... Read More about Innovative flatfoot surgery releases Quinn’s inner athlete
One family, two very different clubfoot experiences
Theresah Boateng and her daughter Eno Agyapomaa Agyemang both have strong wills and outgoing personalities. Both were born with a foot deformity called clubfoot, and both received treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital. Yet their experiences differ in many ways. Theresah’s treatment started when she was 15 years old and lasted more than two years. Eno’s ... Read More about One family, two very different clubfoot experiences
A minimally invasive surgical option for children with flexible flatfoot
Most children with flexible flatfoot, a common condition in which arches do not develop in the feet, don’t need surgery, or any medical intervention at all. The few who do need surgery typically face a complicated procedure and a long recovery. Dr. Susan Mahan travelled to Italy to learn the procedure from the surgeon who ... Read More about A minimally invasive surgical option for children with flexible flatfoot
A new option for teens with painful bunions
Bunions, bumps at the base of the big toes, are probably not at the top of most kids’ list of concerns. Adults, particularly adult women, are far more likely to develop bunions, possibly after years of wearing tight shoes that squeeze their toes. In children and teens who have them, bunions are almost always an ... Read More about A new option for teens with painful bunions
Generations of excellence in lower extremity care: Dr. Kasser and Dr. May
As an orthopedic surgeon and professor of surgery, Dr. James Kasser has spent several decades sharing his expertise in limb reconstruction with students of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Collin May was one of his students and later joined the surgical team in the Lower Extremity Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. He has spent the past ... Read More about Generations of excellence in lower extremity care: Dr. Kasser and Dr. May
Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
Limb length discrepancies, a leg or arm that’s shorter than the other, can occur for a number of reasons. A child may be born with a condition that causes one limb to grow more slowly than the other. An arm or leg may stop growing after a complex fracture or a fracture that heals incorrectly. ... Read More about Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
Clubfoot bracing for an active boy: Finn’s story
When Finn Beaulieu learned how to say elephant, he ran around the house repeating the word at least 20 times. When asked to rate his activity level, his mother Carolyn says, “He’s 2½, I would say his activity level is high.” Finn’s joy of movement can make it challenging for his parents to put him ... Read More about Clubfoot bracing for an active boy: Finn’s story
Diagnosed with clubfeet before he was born: Gabriel’s story
Cheryl Bratt and her wife, Sue, expected a routine visit when they went in for their 18-week ultrasound. Cheryl, a professor, had scheduled the test before her morning class. The radiologist was reassuring through the entire ultrasound — until the end. “Then she told us the baby had clubfeet and we needed to see a specialist.” Just ... Read More about Diagnosed with clubfeet before he was born: Gabriel’s story
When your baby has clubfoot: Answers for expecting parents
Treatment for clubfoot usually begins within a few weeks of a child’s birth. With prenatal ultrasound, parents often learn about clubfoot weeks or months before their child’s arrival. Below, Dr. Collin May of the Lower Extremity Program in Boston Children’s Orthopedic Center answers questions about how meeting with an orthopedic specialist can ease expecting parents’ ... Read More about When your baby has clubfoot: Answers for expecting parents
Foot deformity and amputation: Maria’s tough choice
Whenever she could, Maria Dupuis found a way to walk. She walked when she had to wear a cast from her chest to her ankles. She walked when the curve in her spine reached 94 degrees. When her right foot pointed up to the sky rather than straight ahead, she walked on her heel. Maria ... Read More about Foot deformity and amputation: Maria’s tough choice