Notumbo's Story
i have club feetI was born in 1953, in Southeast Michigan, and was almost immediately ensconced at the Detroit Children's Hospital, under the care of one Dr. Day. He was to be my orthopedist throughout my entire "reconfiguration." Besides the hospital, I was also seen at first weekly, then monthly until I was 16, at the Detroit Orthopedic Clinic. This was a clinic funded by the State of Michigan, and through United Way, March of Dimes, and Easter Seals contributions.
I of course had the serial casting and manipulations (pre-Ponzetti,) and the night splints. The daytime braces came a bit later. My surgeries, with two exceptions, apparently "went well." But around five, I had another surgery to remove a cyst that had developed on the dorsum (top) of my left foot. The result was a ruptured tensor retinaculum, a fascial band that serves to hold down the anterior tibialis tendon. Since then, my anterior tib remains "popped out" and I get occasional irritation from my shoes. A later surgery, at the age of 37, to remove two bone spurs on the posterior calcaneus and posterior talus (rearfoot bones) resulted in a severed surral nerve along the lateral border of my left foot (why is it always my left foot?) This has caused a loss of sensation from the lateral heel to the fourth and fifth toes. And while the sensation is gone, there is deep pain as the deeper nerves have to replace the job of the cutaneous nerves, which they weren't designed for.
I eventually became a shoemaker, then ran the Mechanical Orthopedics Clinic at a podiatry college in San Francisco. I started my own orthotic lab after studying biomechanics and gait analysis at the college, and founded an international orthotic lab association.
Today, in addition to my day job (no longer making shoes or orthotics - it was pretty rough on my hands and spine - long story) I run a blog for adults with post-club feet, just like mine. Called the Truth About Talipes, its at www.adultclubfeet.blogspot.com, and I work hard to gather information for people having similar issues as myself. Mostly, I just try to offer support and knowledge, and hope to get a little support in return.
Added on 02 Aug 2010
Comments
All times are in GMT +00:00Comment added by Michael Farmer on the Thu 23 September 2010 a 07:59am
I am now 53 and have struggled with deep and profound pain in my old club feet for many years now. It is evident the older you get the more painful your club feet get. I also developed a rare skin disease-Elastosis perforans serpiginosa- in my teens; a connective tissue disorder. I was wondering if you have encountered this phenomenon in your life?
This is my first foray through the internet to find some help.
Kind regards
Michael Farmer