RE: Shoes, Steenbeek and other

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I agree, it's a good idea to email Dr Ponseti about your son's feet.

I don't think the Steenbeek shoes are an issue, Michiel Steenbeek was

one of the people who worked on the Uganda project. He is trained in

the Ponseti Method, there is no 'Steenbeek method'. He designed the

shoes to be a low cost version affordable to developing countries. I

think that they cost less than a quarter of the Markell's imported

price.

Dr Ponseti showed us a pair when we were in Iowa and he told us that are

effective. They hold the feet in a corrected position in the same way

as the Markell Ponseti bar and shoes. The only difference I noticed is

that the shoes are mounted on a thinner flexible bar, which you bend to

the 15 degree dorsiflexion to flex the heels. I think they are set to a

70 degree external rotation, which you can just bend in to be less as

required, but I may be wrong on that. There is no adjustment on the bar

width, the bar is 'disposable', when the baby gets new shoes they come

with the bar. I believe that they are used with success in African

countries and they must have been extended to India too now.

We were considering the use of Steenbeek shoes in South Africa for

babies not on medical insurance. But there are some shoes locally

manufactured now for the babies not on medical insurance, the others use

the imported Markell shoes. There are no shoes available here

yet, hasn't made contact with the orthotists here, I

suppose he's dealing with the US market first.

My project next year is to try to raise funds locally to sponsor shoes

for disadvantaged babies in South Africa whose parents cannot afford the

Markell shoes.

and

23 Jan 2004, bilateral cf

www.clubfoot.co.za

Re: got reduced hours!

Shahid,

I was not familiar with the Steenbeek method or shoes, and did some

research. Apparently he is a Dutch physiotherapist who treats children

with

the Ponseti method. Could you post a picture of or describe the shoes?

How

long has your child been in them?

At least with the traditional Denis Browne splint, when a child's heels

do not sit

all the way down in the boot it means the heel cord is still too tight.

Usually a

simple surgical procedure called a tenotomy can be done and takes care

of

the problem. If you have a camera, maybe you can take pictures of your

child's foot and e-mail them to Dr. Ponseti for an informal opinion, if

nothing

else to tell you what options you have available to you since you are

overseas. Here is the information for him at the University of Iowa:

Telephone:

(319)356-3469

Address:

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

200 Hawkins Drive

010255 JPP

Iowa City, IA 52242

Via E-mail: ignacio-ponseti@...

Hope this helps and you can get some answers.

11.23.03

> Would you please describe how it is ok when the heel

> not going down. We also face the same problem for my

> six month old using the only available option of

> steenbeek foot abduction brace in Pakistan.

>

> Regards

> Shahid

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I agree, it's a good idea to email Dr Ponseti about your son's feet.

I don't think the Steenbeek shoes are an issue, Michiel Steenbeek was

one of the people who worked on the Uganda project. He is trained in

the Ponseti Method, there is no 'Steenbeek method'. He designed the

shoes to be a low cost version affordable to developing countries. I

think that they cost less than a quarter of the Markell's imported

price.

Dr Ponseti showed us a pair when we were in Iowa and he told us they are

effective. They hold the feet in a corrected position in the same way

as the Markell Ponseti bar and shoes. The only difference I noticed is

that the shoes are mounted on a thinner flexible bar, which you bend to

the 15 degree dorsiflexion to flex the heels. I think they are set to a

70 degree external rotation, which you can just bend in to be less as

required, but I may be wrong on that. There is no adjustment on the bar

width, the bar is 'disposable', when the baby gets new shoes they come

with the bar. I believe that they are used with success in African

countries and they must have been extended to India too now.

We were considering the use of Steenbeek shoes in South Africa for

babies not on medical insurance. But there are some shoes locally

manufactured now for the babies not on medical insurance, the others use

the imported Markell shoes. There are no shoes available here

yet, hasn't made contact with the orthotists here, I

suppose he's dealing with the US market first.

My project next year is to try to raise funds locally to sponsor shoes

for disadvantaged babies in South Africa whose parents cannot afford the

Markell shoes.

and

23 Jan 2004, bilateral cf

www.clubfoot.co.za

Re: got reduced hours!

Shahid,

I was not familiar with the Steenbeek method or shoes, and did some

research. Apparently he is a Dutch physiotherapist who treats children

with

the Ponseti method. Could you post a picture of or describe the shoes?

How

long has your child been in them?

At least with the traditional Denis Browne splint, when a child's heels

do not sit

all the way down in the boot it means the heel cord is still too tight.

Usually a

simple surgical procedure called a tenotomy can be done and takes care

of

the problem. If you have a camera, maybe you can take pictures of your

child's foot and e-mail them to Dr. Ponseti for an informal opinion, if

nothing

else to tell you what options you have available to you since you are

overseas. Here is the information for him at the University of Iowa:

Telephone:

(319)356-3469

Address:

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

200 Hawkins Drive

010255 JPP

Iowa City, IA 52242

Via E-mail: ignacio-ponseti@...

Hope this helps and you can get some answers.

11.23.03

> Would you please describe how it is ok when the heel

> not going down. We also face the same problem for my

> six month old using the only available option of

> steenbeek foot abduction brace in Pakistan.

>

> Regards

> Shahid