Tan's Story
i have club feetI have read many of your stories and understand what you have gone through. I was born with bilateral clubfeet in 1988. They were corrected through surgery and cast when I was about 1. Similarly to many of you, I had (and still have) stitch marks on the inner soles of my feet and grew-up with plenty of related issues. I doubt that I was put through proper rehab after my correction. My feet pointed about 40 degrees inward, and I could not squat down with my feet flat on the floor. I would trip and fall all the time and struggled to play soccer as a kid. However, unlike most people here, I was not 100% aware of my defect, and my parents never bothered to explain it to me. They would regularly criticize me for being clumsy or tripping and falling, or not playing enough soccer to "strengthen your calf muscles".
By the time I was 8, I was so fed-up with my annoying inward-pointing feet, I would consciously point my feet outwards whenever possible. I can't recall for how long, but after what I believe was a few weeks, my feet actually started pointing straight forward naturally.
I was problem-free for the next several years until about age 15. Any time I would jog or play basketball, I would get severe instep (top of the foot) pain. To keep a long story short, I engaged in weight training, including numerous calf exercises, as well as some plyometric training to enhance my performance. Amazingly enough, I believe this strengthening of my muscles and tendons was responsible for a complete elimination of the pain.
I am 22 now and have not had serious, sports-related instep pain issues since (though I do occasionally get minor arch/midfoot pain). I am currently seeking training to lengthen my calf/Achilles-tendon complex to allow me real ankle flexibility. The lack of flexibility means that I cannot ever sprain my ankles, but at the expense of jumping, squatting, and swimming ability. The bottom line is that YOU can take control of your defect through research, hard work, and determination. Use the rubbernecked stares and criticism as fuel. Remember, we have had it harder than the others. Other people with well-publicized defects get coddled and recognized, and they receive special treatment from others. We DO NOT. Take this as a motivational building block. Please contact me if you want to discuss this issue.
Added on 01 Aug 2010
Comments
All times are in GMT +00:00Comment added by Brooke on the Sun 3 April 2011 a 04:58pm
you're story is amazing. it's almost exactly like mine, i am 12 and i try to point my feet outwards alot and it seemed to help when i was younger and right now because i can walk alomost straight and no one really notices unless they stare alot or i point it out but i =ts hard to sports and run and stuff like that and i put my self down alot i think talking to someone with the same problem as me would help.