There is a paucity of evidence of the effect of any idiopathic
orthopedic deformity on gross motor development
in the first year of life in recent literature with the exception
of infants with skeletal dysplasias. Crockett et al reported a significant delay in attainment of motor milestones
in babies with diastrophic dysplasia. Ireland et al4
studied developmental milestones in Australasian children
with achondroplasia and noted significant delays.
There is limited evidence of the effect of treated clubfoot
disorder on motor skills in later childhood. Andriesse
et al tested 20 children with treated clubfoot at age 7
years and found an increased prevalence of motor impairment
as measured by the Movement Assessment Battery for
Children. The degree of motor impairment did not correlate
to the severity of the clubfoot or whether the disorder
was unilateral or bilateral. The authors concluded that factors,
in addition to clubfoot disorder, may be present that
affect motor abilities.