Re: Re: strengthening calf muscle/occupationaltherapy

February 16, 2005

I agree ee. Everything that I have read and seen says that the casting is

NOT the culprit for a smaller calf either in unilateral or bilateral. It is

just an inherent part of clubfoot. Some kids have it worse than others just

like some are more severe, some have worse dorsiflexion, some have worse cavus,

and on and on. Casting may make the muscles weaker while they are in the cast,

but the kids will eventually build that back up.

Livie has a pretty noticeable difference in her calf sizes. Dr. Ponseti has

felt her calf and had me feel her calf and there are tendons in there that are

basically atrophied. No amount of exercise is ever going to make her calves the

same size although it will help some. She has a marked difference in strength

between the two legs also. Unfortunately it is her left, non-dominant foot that

is the clubfoot, so she tends to use her right more often anyway.

As to shoe size, although Livie's clubfoot was considered in the very severe

category, she has less than a half size difference in the length of her feet.

I guess it's all in the luck of the draw so to say!

Jen & Livie

Re: Re: strengthening calf

muscle/occupationaltherapy

I'm pretty sure it's not the casting making the calf smaller. In the video I

watched the compared how the muscles developin in cf and non cf legs using

autopsy photos; according to that video the smaller calf muscle is directly

related to the cf condition, not the cf correction.

s.

I think most bilateral cf you can't really notice anything with the

calves since they were both affected, unless one is more severe and

has to be casted more, etc. It's mostly in unilateral where you can

tell a difference from the affected and non-affected legs.

Even in unilateral I think the difference is usually minimal in

Ponseti vs. surgical methods.

> How about the whole ankle to shin/calf thing.

> I do rub my daughter's legs, any other suggestions?

>

> Jennipher

> Mommy to Lhea, BCF, shoes 18/7

>

> lisa caroland

>

> __________________________________________________

>

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