Purpose: To investigate the effect of treated clubfoot disorder on gross motor skill level measured by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
Methods: Fifty-two babies participated: 26 were treated for idiopathic clubfoot (12 with the Ponseti treatment method, 9 with the French physical therapy technique, and 5 with a combination of both methods); 26 were babies who were typically developing and without medical diagnoses. The AIMS was administered at 3-month intervals.
Results: No significant differences in AIMS scores were found between the clubfoot and control groups at 3 and 6 months, but at 9 and 12 months the clubfoot group scored significantly lower. Babies who were typically developing were significantly more likely to be walking at 12 months than babies with clubfoot.
Conclusions: Treated clubfoot was associated with a mild delay in attainment of gross motor skills at 9 and 12 months of age.