Happy FeetClubfoot Guide for Parents
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Treatment journey

Casting

Understand where serial casting fits in the Ponseti journey and what to ask your treating team.

Check cast care
Parents speak with a clinician during a casting visit.

How this stage fits

What this stage means

Start with the treatment explanation already in Happy Feet, then use the practical guidance below to prepare for your child's care.

Stage 1 — Serial casting

A clinician trained in the Ponseti technique gently manipulates the foot and applies an above-knee cast to hold the new position. The cast is changed repeatedly as correction progresses. The number of casts is not identical for every child.

Read this guide →

A quick parent check

While your baby is in a cast

  • Your baby's toes remain visible, warm and close to their usual healthy colour.
  • The cast remains clean, dry and firm, without a crack or soft area.
  • The cast has not slipped and the toes have not disappeared inside it.
  • Keep the nappy or diaper away from the upper edge of the cast where possible.

Contact your treating team

When to contact the care team

Ask your clinic whom to contact during and outside clinic hours. Contact them if:

  • Toes become unusually pale, blue or cold, become markedly swollen, or disappear inside the cast.
  • The cast slips, cracks, becomes soft or becomes wet.
  • You notice an unusual smell or discharge from the cast.
  • Your baby seems unusually distressed or in pain.

Daily care and clinic instructions

Bathing and cast removal

Bathing with a cast

While the cast is on, your care team may recommend sponge bathing rather than immersing your baby in water. Follow your clinic's instructions for keeping the cast dry.

How the cast comes off

Cast-removal methods vary between Ponseti clinics. Some clinics remove casts themselves, while others may teach families how and when to soak and unwrap a Plaster-of-Paris cast. Follow the instructions from your own treating team and do not cut or remove the cast unless they have specifically advised you to do so.

For your next appointment

Questions for your clinical team

Show 6 questions
  1. What are you correcting with the casts right now?
  2. How will you know when casting is complete?
  3. How often will the casts be changed?
  4. How does your clinic remove the casts?
  5. What should I check at home while the cast is on?
  6. Who should I contact if the toes change colour or the cast slips?

Sources

External clinical references and supplied material used for this guidance.

Supplied reference material

  • Cast care instructions for Parents (supplied local clinic handout, 2018). Cast-removal method and timing in that handout are clinic-specific.

Where you are now · Casting

Current viewCasting

What may follow casting

The next part can vary. Tenotomy is an if-needed step; bracing and maintenance are a major part of the treatment journey.