Re: Ponseti Brace instead of Markell

February 21, 2005

By the *Ponseti Brace* you are referring to the shoes - thought

I'd clear that up to a few newbies who may not know the difference. But

otherwise I totally agree with you, they are great shoes although many many

babies do just as well with the traditional Markell shoe.

I wanted to add also that it's almost funny in hindsight as we enter in to the

cf world how dark and dreery the door way appears but once in it, it's hardly

dark at all and we all end up joking and enjoying our journey, as strange as

that is to say. The funny things these kids can do wearing that dang DBB or

casts is almost a hoot. Learning to change a diaper WITH OUT the bar on....now

there's a challenge! haha ...the stupid things strangers say....there are funny

things along the way that lighten the load. And there is this group which

lightenes it even further as we share both the good and the bad here.

The journery through correction is not nearly as heavy as we anticipate, it just

seems that way when we learn we'll have to travel that road. But pack light,

step with confidence, enjoy and look for the bright spots that are there because

they will light your way.

s.

Ponseti Brace instead of Markell

I just wanted to post this because when I first had my ultrasound and they found

Jonathon's club feet I read a lot of posts on this bulletin board, and although

I hardly wrote a thing I learned a lot. It really helped me to hear what club

feet were really like, and now that I have the experience of having a kid who

made it through correction pretty easily I figured I should contribute. I was

hoping that for some of you struggling with the Markell shoes this might be a

help!!!

Jonathon has used the Ponseti brace instead of the Markell shoe, and has had

excellent results. His feet are showing an extremely high degree of retainment

of the correction. Jonathon has never had a pressure sore, blister, raw spot,

or any acute issue from the brace. He did dislike getting it put on in the

beginning for the first week or two after the casts were removed most likely due

to increased sensitivity after treatment. It did take us a couple weeks to get

his heel as " down and back " in the shoe as the instruction picture showed, but

we worked our way into it, and his feet are doing very well!

We have paid cash for the brace as Mr. is not quite all set up as a

provider with the insurance companies yet. The initial brace is roughly $350

with $22 of shipping and handling. The bar does not need to be replaced and is

$70 dollars or so. We ordered the shoes right on Mr. 's website after

discussing personally with him.

We contacted Mr. (, http://www.mdorthopaedics.org/) prior

to Jonathon's heel cord lengthening (tenotomy). The day of the tenotomy, after

the cast was removed but prior to the surgery, we had Jonathon " step " on foam in

a box (Mr. can send you the foam in a box or your Dr. may already have

some if they work with Mr. .) We Fedex'd the box to Mr. who

was expecting them. He had the shoes delivered to our home before the removal

of the casts. We brought the shoes with us to Dr. the day the last cast

was removed, and he put them on immediately after the removal of the cast.

I would strongly suggest people find a way to get their children these new shoes

instead of the Markell shoes. They are so wonderful! If your Doctor hesitates

to use them, give him or her the website information. If they are really

Ponseti certified they should be supportive. The brace was designed with input

from Dr. Ponseti. They can also call Dr. if they would like a peer

opinion (www.orthoforkids.com)

Jonathon has had " normal " feet for a few weeks now and it is wonderful.

Clubfoot can turn into such a long drawn out experience full of suffering. I

believe the Ponseti brace and adherence to the Ponseti method helped us to avoid

this so far. Our treatment was hard and sad as it always is when anything is

wrong with an infant, but it is an already fading memory. Jonathon at 5 months

old has " normal " looking and functioning feet. He exhibits no pain when we

point or flex his foot and he is a happy go lucky little baby. I feel so

relieved that the worst of our ordeal is over and wish this for every family and

child who was born with club feet.

__________________________________________________

February 21, 2005

This is so well said! My sentiments exactly.

Bess

Mommy to Elena (3/31/00) and Audrey (9/27/03), bcf, dbb 12 hrs/day

At 11:35 AM 2/21/2005, you wrote:

>By the *Ponseti Brace* you are referring to the shoes -

>thought I'd clear that up to a few newbies who may not know the

>difference. But otherwise I totally agree with you, they are great shoes

>although many many babies do just as well with the traditional Markell shoe.

>

>I wanted to add also that it's almost funny in hindsight as we enter in to

>the cf world how dark and dreery the door way appears but once in it, it's

>hardly dark at all and we all end up joking and enjoying our journey, as

>strange as that is to say. The funny things these kids can do wearing

>that dang DBB or casts is almost a hoot. Learning to change a diaper WITH

>OUT the bar on....now there's a challenge! haha ...the stupid things

>strangers say....there are funny things along the way that lighten the

>load. And there is this group which lightenes it even further as we share

>both the good and the bad here.

>

>The journery through correction is not nearly as heavy as we anticipate,

>it just seems that way when we learn we'll have to travel that road. But

>pack light, step with confidence, enjoy and look for the bright spots that

>are there because they will light your way.

>

>s.

>

> Ponseti Brace instead of Markell

>

>I just wanted to post this because when I first had my ultrasound and they

>found Jonathon's club feet I read a lot of posts on this bulletin board,

>and although I hardly wrote a thing I learned a lot. It really helped me

>to hear what club feet were really like, and now that I have the

>experience of having a kid who made it through correction pretty easily I

>figured I should contribute. I was hoping that for some of you struggling

>with the Markell shoes this might be a help!!!

>

>Jonathon has used the Ponseti brace instead of the Markell shoe, and has

>had excellent results. His feet are showing an extremely high degree of

>retainment of the correction. Jonathon has never had a pressure sore,

>blister, raw spot, or any acute issue from the brace. He did dislike

>getting it put on in the beginning for the first week or two after the

>casts were removed most likely due to increased sensitivity after

>treatment. It did take us a couple weeks to get his heel as " down and

>back " in the shoe as the instruction picture showed, but we worked our way

>into it, and his feet are doing very well!

>

>We have paid cash for the brace as Mr. is not quite all set up as

>a provider with the insurance companies yet. The initial brace is roughly

>$350 with $22 of shipping and handling. The bar does not need to be

>replaced and is $70 dollars or so. We ordered the shoes right on Mr.

>'s website after discussing personally with him.

>

>We contacted Mr. (,

>http://www.mdorthopaedics.org/)>http://www.mdorthopaedics.org/) prior to

>Jonathon's heel cord lengthening (tenotomy). The day of the tenotomy,

>after the cast was removed but prior to the surgery, we had Jonathon

> " step " on foam in a box (Mr. can send you the foam in a box or

>your Dr. may already have some if they work with Mr. .) We

>Fedex'd the box to Mr. who was expecting them. He had the shoes

>delivered to our home before the removal of the casts. We brought the

>shoes with us to Dr. the day the last cast was removed, and he put

>them on immediately after the removal of the cast.

>

>I would strongly suggest people find a way to get their children these new

>shoes instead of the Markell shoes. They are so wonderful! If your

>Doctor hesitates to use them, give him or her the website information. If

>they are really Ponseti certified they should be supportive. The brace

>was designed with input from Dr. Ponseti. They can also call Dr.

>if they would like a peer opinion (www.orthoforkids.com)

>

>Jonathon has had " normal " feet for a few weeks now and it is

>wonderful. Clubfoot can turn into such a long drawn out experience full

>of suffering. I believe the Ponseti brace and adherence to the Ponseti

>method helped us to avoid this so far. Our treatment was hard and sad as

>it always is when anything is wrong with an infant, but it is an already

>fading memory. Jonathon at 5 months old has " normal " looking and

>functioning feet. He exhibits no pain when we point or flex his foot and

>he is a happy go lucky little baby. I feel so relieved that the worst of

>our ordeal is over and wish this for every family and child who was born

>with club feet.

>

>__________________________________________________

>

February 21, 2005

I'm curious, but I thought the shoes (or Ponseti Brace, we're so

bad here. We've called them shoes this whole time and has

named it the Ponseti Brace from day one... we really should start using

that name instead of . Great testament to but I think it's

better to call it the Ponseti Brace - it says Ponseti right on the bar!)

for the regular CFeet was to be worn at first and then the child would be

transitioned to the Markell's. What's the plan for Everett anyway? And,.

in all seriousness... the Markell's are good shoes. I think it's great

that the 's are out there, they are needed but the Markell's do

work fine for most babies with fully corrected feet... AND parents who are

given appropriate information about applying them. Getting that

information out is a huge problem though.

With all that said... I want 's (Ponseti's lol!) for Darbi. I

think with their flat sole that she might be able to walk in them unaided

and they don't look like they'd tear up my floor without padding (which

inhibits her walking unaided because it's so thick). Plus the toe area is

much more open and she's got that curvy toe that I want to go back

straight. I think these shoes would do the trick with that.

Kori

At 10:35 AM 2/21/2005, you wrote: