Stacey Gibson's Story
i have club feetHi there, im Stacey, a 23year old mummy to a beautiful baby girl and I was born with Severe Bilateral Talipes with Pes Cavus.
My first bar was fitted when i was just 3days old, this was moved every month til I was 13months old when my consultant had to resort to surgery. During my first operation my tendons were cut and lengthened to enable my feet to be more straight. I then had casts on.
My feet started to relapes again so I had another bar fitted until my consultant had to resort to further surgery, again to cut and lengthen my tendons.
I had to attend physio when I was about 12/13 as I repeatedly twisted my ankles at school and was made to sit out of some sports due to pain.
I attended the talipes clinic very regularly until I was 16 (as this is when girls typically stop growing) but had to return to my consultant when I was 18 as I was having more problems with my right foot and it causing me to walk on the outside of that foot. I was made a spilnt to try force my heel and ankle back to a straighter position, but due to the splint causing me more pain and discomfort I stopped using it.
I now suffer from painful ankles, toes, feet, heels, calves and knees and am on very strong painkillers everyday. I cant wear high heeled shoes and have very broad feet, but I am lucky that my feet are the same size!
I am now on Disability Living Allowance and have a blue parking bagde, and am waiting for my mobility car to be delivered as I have just passed my driving test. I have to get an automatic transmission, even though I passed in a manual, as my left foot sufferes when I dip the clutch when driving a manual!
I am waiting to attend my consultant again as the pain im experianceing is getting worse everyday and I am to be cheked out for early signs of arthritus in my knees and ankles!
I cant walk for more than 10mins without experiencing severe pain in my legs,feet and knees but Im just thankful I can walk and can live a relitivley normal life with this condition.
My daughter was born with slight positional unilateral talipes affecting her left foot, but this straightened and corrected with manipulation and thankfully no surgery or anything else was needed!!
Added on 03 Jun 2010