Ponseti International Association (PIA) has designated June 3 as World Clubfoot Day. The date was chosen to commemorate the birthdate of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, (1914-2009) the developer of the Ponseti Method to treat clubfoot.

The goal of World Clubfoot Day is to raise awareness about clubfoot disability and its prevention using the Ponseti Method, a nonsurgical treatment that includes gentle manipulation of the feet followed by the application of plaster casts and temporary bracing.

Jose Morcuende, CEO and medical director of Ponseti International, says this day is an important step in furthering global awareness that clubfoot is a treatable deformity. “By designating June 3 as World Clubfoot Day, not only do we celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Ponseti, but we help further his belief that every child born with clubfoot is entitled to treatment using this low-cost, nonsurgical approach.”

Clubfoot is the most common musculoskeletal birth deformity, affecting 200,000 newborn children each year, 80 percent in developing countries. There are also hundreds of thousands of children and young adults who are living with this debilitating condition worldwide. The Ponseti Method is nearly 100 percent effective when properly applied by a trained health care provider and is considered the "gold standard" treatment, leading to a normal, productive life.

PIA is the global leader in training and educating healthcare providers on the treatment of congenital clubfoot.