Club Foot

Club feet are the result of mechanical imbalances that are most likely attributed to malfunctions within the deep digital flexor muscle belly. The muscle fibers normally receive an electrical stimulus that tells them to contract. This causes the fibers to shorten and subsequently move load. Apparently the imbalance is a problem at the synopsis (nerves/muscle cell unit), which results in the muscle receiving a continuous command to contract. This spastic muscle transfers the constant shortening, or pulling, to the tendon that is firmly attached to the semi-lunar crest along the posterior palmar surface of the coffin bone. Shortening the distance from the origin to the insertion point pulls the coffin bone around its articular axis.