Question
I noticed that my baby has a slight outward flip of the left foot when walking. I took her to the children’s hospital for a check-up, and the X-ray of the pelvis showed that the hip joint angle is 27 degrees on the left and 28 degrees on the right. The doctor said it is slightly abnormal and suggested using a walking brace or holding her legs apart to slowly improve it herself. I’m not sure what to do.
Answer
Conservative treatment includes the use of a harness and manual manipulation. Harness treatment is mainly used for infants under 6 months old, while manual manipulation is suitable for children between 6 months and 2 years old. Before manipulation, the skin is suspended for traction, followed by manual manipulation under general anesthesia. Finally, a modified frog cast is used to immobilize for three months. If the position of the femoral head and acetabulum is stable, it is then changed to a modified frog frame for fixation for half a year or longer.