The natural history of hooked forefoot.
This paper reports on a prospective study undertaken to determine the natural history of untreated idiopathic hooked forefoot. The progress of 130 affected feet in eighty-three children was followed for an average of seven years. At review 86% of the feet were normal or only mildly deformed and all were fully mobile; 10% were still moderately deformed but were asymptomatic; 4% remained deformed and stiff. It was not possible to detect these resistant cases before the age of three years, but the low failure rate would seem to justify a policy of expectant treatment.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005532:Foot Deformities, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male