Ponseti Equipment list
Helpful products and tips for use while wearing boots and bar.
While preparing for their child’s treatment many parents ask, “Will we need lots of special equipment?”
In most cases, everyday baby items are suitable for use while your child is undergoing treatment, although some may need slight adjustments. Most importantly, parents told us that children adapt incredibly well.
Steps asked families who have experienced Ponseti treatment to share the products, and adaptations that made day-to-day life easier during casting and boots and bar treatment.
Every child’s treatment journey is different, and not all suggestions will be suitable for all children, so we recommend you discuss and share experiences with other families in our Facebook groups. Some products are designed for babies, while others are suitable for older children. We hope this list helps you feel more prepared and supported.
Please note that some of the products recommended are no longer in production, but we have marked these with an asterisk (*) as families tell us that they have found suitable equipment second hand.
This is not medical advice, and Steps does not endorse any of these products or the purchase of previously owned equipment. These are suggestions gathered from parents. It is important that individuals ensure the safety and suitability of a product for their child.
Car Seats and Travel
Generally, parents don’t find it necessary to buy a special car seat, as many products will work well both with casts and boots and bar. If your child doesn’t fit comfortably in their seat, do not attempt to make adjustments as this will affect the safety of the seat.
What our families say:
“Standard seat, no need for a special one.”
“Standard car seats work fine. We had a Maxi Cosi and then a Cybex.”
“Just normal car seats. Infant carrier from birth and then into Cybex which turns to make it easier to put him in.”
“Wide fitted car seats.”
“Normal group 0 car seat.”
“Cybex Sirona was the only one we found that accommodated the full leg casts for talipes and the Pavlik harness for the DDH (both treated at the same time).”
Used by parents:
- Silver Cross baby car seat (a range of models including rotating car seats)
- Britax highback booster seat (wide seating area, a range of models)
- Joie Spin 360 (rotating car seat, birth to approx. four years, up to 18kg)
- Cybex (a range of models including rotating car seats)
- Britax Two Way Elite (rear-facing car seat, nine months – six years, 9 – 25kg)
- Maxi Cosi Pebble (rotating car sear, 0-15 months, up to 13kg)
No longer in production
- Standard Mothercare* (wide seating area, a range of models)
Prams, buggies and wheelchairs:
Most reasonably wide high street prams will accommodate a baby undergoing Ponseti treatment. The most popular prams suggested by our parents are listed below.
What our families say:
“iCandy Cherry was perfect for us and supported his feet well and also allowed us to use the car seat on the frame for when he was younger.”
“One with adjustable leg rest so legs could be supported.”
“The Phil and Teds was fine, however the lay down carry cot for infants was not wide enough for the bar so we had to move him out of the carry cot and to the next stage pretty quickly. We’d also add the car seat on to the pram and that worked fine as well.”
“We just had the Bugaboo Cameleon. We moved him into the seat sooner than is advised (from the carry cot) as his boots and bar were too wide to fit in comfortably.”
Used by parents (check specific model for suitability):
- MiniUno pram (Adjustable width, 0-22kg)
- Baby Jogger (Easy fold, wide seat)
- Britax Travel System (Robust seat, wide seat)
- Phil and Teds (Adjustable width, open footwell)
- Oyster (includes travel system)
No longer in production
- Silver Cross Wayfarer* (Wide seat)
- Bugaboo Cameleon* (Adjustable width)
- Cosatto* (Wide seat)
- Standard Mothercare* (Wide seat)
- iCandy Cherry* (Wide seat)
Seating
It is a good idea to look for a highchair with a detachable or undoable centre strap so that when they are in boots and bar, your child can still use it. A beanbag or large scatter cushion can be useful as it moulds to your baby’s shape and helps to keep them comfortable. Do not allow your baby to sleep on a beanbag or cushion as it is unsafe.
What our families say:
“A travel one that fitted on an ordinary chair, no fixed bar between legs.”
“Joie supported his feet well when he had his boots on for breakfast as it took the weight.”
“We used same one as for other children, just removed bar.”
“Cosatto, with completely removable tray.”
“Bought a Mamas and Papas highchair where the tray came off completely to allow us to place him in it and so he could sit in it with his boots and bar on with without the tray.”
“Standard highchair.”
Used by parents (check specific model for suitability):
- iSafe Mama highchair (Antislip at crotch without bar)
- Joie highchair (Highly adjustable, completely removable tray)
- Cosatto (Completely removable tray)
- Billie Faiers (Wide seat, completely removable tray)
- IKEA highchair (No crotch bar)
- Stokke Tripp Trappe (Adjustable, no crotch bar)
No longer in production
- BabyBjorn* (No crotch bar)
Playtime
Babies in plaster casts do well on standard play mats and most parents found a baby bouncer or baby seat that would fit around the boots and bar, for playtime or snacks.
What our families say:
“No play seats would be able to be used due to plasters so just used play mats and highchair and cushions.”
“Any bouncy chair that the whole fastening can undo rather than the legs slot into.”
Used by parents:
- A cushion or a nursing pillow
- A normal booster seat
- Chicco Pocket Snack Booster seat (Low to the floor chair with no crotch bar and a tray for play, six months – three years)
Sleeping
Your child may adopt a strange sleeping position. Baby sleeping bags will help with padding and will keep your baby from pulling at the straps and lace. A rolled up towel or pillows are often used to support the legs in casts or boots and bar.
What our families say:
“Pillow under legs for Ponseti treatment sleeping.”
“Rolled blankets under casts and used Hippychick Dream Tubes bed bumper when moving him to bigger bed.”
Used by parents:
For Babies
- A baby sleeping bag
- Rolled blankets under casts
- Hippychick Dream Tubes bed bumper (Offers side padding, 18 months – 5 years)
- DockATot Deluxe+ Dock (Formerly Sleepyhead of Sweden, offers side padding, 0-8 months)
- SnuzPod (Wide)
For Toddlers
- A cotbed
- A rolled up towel in cot taking weight off bars
- A toddler sleeping bag
- Hauck travel cot with proper mattress (Wide, birth – three years)
- The Hip Pose sleeping bag (designed specifically to accommodate boots and bar, now sold as DDH Sleeping Bag/Hip Harness Sleeping Bag/Hip Dysplasia Sleeping Bag with wider space at the bottom of the bag, 6-12 months)
Clothing
There are no specific clothing requirements for a baby undergoing treatment for clubfoot. However, babygrows without feet can be useful during the casting stage so that your baby’s toes remain visible. Baby clothes without feet are also convenient during the boots and bar stage. You do not need to buy special clothing, simply cutting the feet off standard babygrows works well. Trousers with poppers underneath and dungarees are ideal.
Socks with grips on the bottom are popular with parents during the boots and bar stage, but many were happy with everyday supermarket and high street brands.
Bar covers are also popular to pad the hard bar and can be personalised for your child.
What our families say:
“He lived in dungarees. And onesies with no feet. For the cast stage, we got some onesies and just cut the leg off.”
“Anything footless and poppers underneath. No trousers without poppers.”
“Cut off feet to baby grows when in boots and bar, bought size bigger clothes.”
“I added poppers to my son’s trousers.”
“Pjs are far better than sleepsuits with no feet for the boots and bar phase and worked out cheaper too.”
“Loose tracksuit bottoms for casts.”
“(Socks) with grip on the bottom, that were long so the boots didn’t run and that were 100% cotton were best, changing them regularly so his feet didn’t sweat too much. Next ones were good.”
“Cotton (socks), avoided elasticated tops, smooth as possible.”
Used by parents:
- Dungarees
- Bigger sizes of jogging bottoms, with poppers for boots and bar
- Gap socks with grip
- Gripped socks
- Larger children’s/adult’s socks for over the casts
- Normal cotton socks
- Socks with grips on bottom also used Robin Socks at times but find can leave feet sweaty
- Cotton tops, smooth as possible – recommended to avoid elasticated tops
- Bootsandbarcovers range of covers and leg warmers
- Marks and Spencer older child body suits
- Morrisons nutmeg socks
- Next socks with grips
- Asda socks
- Tesco own brand ‘Little stars socks’
- Black Robin Socks from C Pro
Skincare/washing (always check with your medical team if any products should be avoided)
Both the casts and the boots can rub, but always contact your medical team if there are serious blisters or sores. Be careful when applying any skin product to your baby and ask advice before treating sores and blisters yourself.
What our families say:
“I liked using natural products. NSPA massage oil and Child’s Farm bath products. I used Sudocrem on areas where the cast rubbed the top of the leg sometimes too.”
“I used lanolin around the top of his casts when they were rubbing.”
Used by parents:
- DuoDERM
- Baby Dove Infacare Baby Bath
- Aloe vera for dry skin
- Lanolin
- Aveeno for dry skin
- Compeed plasters for boots and bars blisters
- Burt’s Bees Moisturiser
- Epaderm (prescribed)
- Aveda
- Johnson’s Top to Toe Baby wash wipes
- Vaseline
- Children’s Farm moisturiser
Other items and general advice from parents
What our families say:
“Use eyeliner across your baby’s toes to mark where the casts come to, so you know if they have slipped.”
“Pack extra change of clothes.”
“If you have an older child, try and get a travel pillow for their legs so they don’t dangle with casts as this can be really heavy.”
“We’ve been able to make most things work. I’d just tell them not to worry and most things can be adjusted to fit with casts/boots and bars.”
“We call them magic boots and sing songs whilst we put them on to make it less difficult and more positive.”
“As difficult as it is, try to stay calm and relaxed. Remember that it is your child being treated, not you, save your anxiousness for private. Ask questions.”
“Parent information and guides from Steps when we first found out in pregnancy. Join Facebook support groups.”
Contact Steps Charity via email info@steps-charity.org.uk (or to leave a voicemail call 01925 750271) with any questions you have.
