Our child was born with a clubfoot deformity. We’ve seen several different doctors and each one gives us a different grade for the feet. One doctor has said it is ‘poor.’ Another doctor told us the results after surgery were ‘good.’ How can there be so much difference from one clinic to another?

There are many different ways to assess the results of clubfoot deformity. Some doctors look at X-rays and how much the foot can be moved from the deformed position back to normal.

Others use the patient’s report as the best measure of results. Pain, satisfaction, and function are included. Function often includes range of motion and walking pattern. Participation in sports or other similar activities can also be part of the grading system.

Results will vary depending on which scoring system the physician uses. If the patient’s subjective report of satisfaction is the focus of the response, the results will be very different when compared with a scoring system that focuses on function instead.

A recent study compared 50 children with clubfoot using five different scoring systems. Like your experience, they found a wide range of results for individual children from poor to excellent.

When consulting with physicians, ask what kind of scoring system was used to assess the results. Perhaps using more than one will help give an overall picture of your child’s function, progress, and what to expect in the future. Using that approach may be the best way to view each child until a standard test tool is devised for this condition.