CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Why Are Baby’s Feet Crooked?

My baby was born with crooked feet. Should I be worried about them? Will he need treatment to straighten his feet?
save article
profile picture of Jeffrey Berkowitz, MD
By Jeffrey Berkowitz, MD, Pediatrician
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image

Crooked feet are totally normal during the first few months of life. They reflect baby’s curled-up position in the womb during development. Baby’s legs are normally bowed (his knees stay wide apart even when the feet and ankles are together). Your baby’s feet will become straighter as he gets older, particularly after he begins walking and his weight starts bearing down on his feet, and as he kicks and moves his legs. The condition will gradually self-correct. You can help it by massaging and stretching baby’s feet: Take the heel of baby’s foot and gently stretch the front of his foot into the correct position.

However, there are some conditions that require intervention by a pediatric orthopedist. You can tell that baby might have a problem if the front half of the foot is very curved, if you’re unable to straighten baby’s foot by doing stretches or if there’s a deep crease in the sole where baby’s foot curves inward. These conditions can be treated with gentle stretching, serial casting (baby gets a new cast every couple of weeks as his feet begin to correct) or surgery, and the outcome is usually successful. Talipes equinovarus (clubfoot) is the most common congenital disorder of the legs — it happens in about one in 1,000 live births. If baby has this condition, he’ll be born with it and his foot will point down and inward at the ankle. About 50 percent of patients with clubfoot have it in both feet. If baby has clubfoot, the orthopedic specialist may move the foot into the correct position and put a cast there to hold it in place. The treatment should start early, normally shortly after birth, because it’s easier to reshape baby’s foot. Baby’s doctor will stretch and recast the foot every week — it normally takes 5 to 10 casts to complete the treatment. Once the cast is removed, baby will have to wear a special brace every day for about three months. After that, he’ll have to wear it at night and during naps for up to three years.

Related Video

Metatarsus adductus is a condition in which the bones in the front of the foot bend or turn in toward the body, while the back of the foot and the ankles look normal. The problem will correct itself in most children, but if treatment is needed, you might need to perform stretching exercises, or baby will need to wear a splint or special shoes called reverse-last shoes, which hold feet in the correct position.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

mom feeding newborn baby at home on the couch
Postpartum Timeline: Here’s How Soon After Birth You Can Do Things
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
mother massaging baby's feet
The Benefits of Baby Massage
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
newborn baby with dry flaky skin on feet
How to Care for Your Newborn's Peeling Skin
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
parent putting lotion on baby's hand
7 Best Baby Lotions, Tested by a Mom of Four
By Korin Miller
Newborn baby close-up of its face with baby acne.
The 411 on Baby Acne (and How to Treat It)
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
newborn with umbilical cord stump
Everything to Know About Caring for Baby's Umbilical Cord
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
mother putting cream on baby's face to calm eczema
What Causes Baby Eczema—and How to Treat It
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
mother wiping baby's eye with warm compress for blocked tear duct
What to Do if Baby Has a Blocked Tear Duct
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
mother applying cream to eczema on baby's face
The Best Baby Eczema Creams
By Martina Garvey
close up of baby's belly, legs, and diaper
Will Baby Always Have an Outie Belly Button?
Medically Reviewed by Loretta Cody, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
close up of newborn baby
Why Babies Get Hiccups (and How to Get Rid of Them)
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
fontanelle soft spot on baby's head
Fontanelles: What Are the Soft Spots on Baby’s Head?
Medically Reviewed by Loretta Cody, MD
baby wrapped in towel after bath
How to Clean a Baby’s Ears
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
mom feeding her baby a bottle and reading him a book
6 Ways to Keep Baby Healthy
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
Woman resting at home on the couch recovering from c-section.
How to Care for Your C-Section Scar
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
checking child's hair for lice
How to Check for Lice
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
best-sunscreen-for-babies-kids-HERO
10 Best Baby Sunscreens to Protect Your Little One’s Skin
By Ashlee Neuman
ADVERTISEMENT
doctor examining infant's mouth
Seeing White Bumps in Baby’s Mouth? It Could Be Epstein Pearls
By Nehal Aggarwal
mother brushing baby's hair with baby hair brush
9 Baby Hair Brushes for Gentle Styling (and Cradle Cap!)
By Martina Garvey
mother changing newborn baby's diaper
Everything You Need to Know About Newborn Circumcision Care
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List