Lower Extremity Program

The Lower Extremity Program at Boston Children's Hospital offers comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for children of all ages with conditions affecting their lower limbs. We have extensive experience treating complex disorders of the feet, ankles, knees, legs, and hips. Whether the patient is an infant, child, or adolescent, our goal is to help them live full, independent lives.

Our multidisciplinary team is made up of pediatric orthopedic surgeons and other clinicians who specialize in surgical and non-surgical treatments for a range of lower limb conditions related to trauma, congenital conditions, and developmental issues. With more than 7,000 pediatric visits per year, our team of lower extremity specialists is one of the most experienced in the country.

As part of Boston Children’s Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Department, one of the top-ranked in the country, we have extensive experience treating rare diagnoses that pediatricians may see infrequently, or never at all. This includes conditions like limb deficiencies and deformity, vascular anomalies, osteogenesis imperfecta, and foot deformities such as vertical talus, macrodactyly, and cleft foot.

Not only are we comfortable treating rare and complex conditions, every member of our team is trained to work with young patients and their families to help them feel more at ease with their treatment.

When patients come to us with complex conditions, we collaborate with the wide range of Boston Children’s experts to ensure our patients receive the highest quality care for every aspect of their condition.

Our program is one of a small number of centers in the U.S. that specializes in lower limb deformities. Whether a child is born with a lower limb deformity or the condition is the result of trauma or illness, we have extensive expertise in surgical and non-surgical treatments for a wide range of lower extremity conditions, including:

Feet and ankles

• Cavovarus foot
• Clubfoot
• Macrodactyly
• Tarsal coalition
• Vertical talus

Lower limbs

• Bowlegs
• Leg-length discrepancy
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Skeletal dysplasia
• Walking (gait) abnormalities

As part of routine ultrasound screenings, expecting parents may find out that their child will be born with clubfoot or another limb deformity midway through their pregnancy. In collaboration with Boston Children’s Fetal Care and Surgery Center, we meet with these parents to talk to them about their child’s condition and options for treatment and management. In many cases, we treat and follow children from birth through adulthood.

Our physicians have been at the forefront of advancing many of the treatments used today for children and adolescents with lower extremity issues related to traumatic injury, congenital issues, or developmental problems. These include:

• Ponseti method
• Limb lengthening
• Complex limb deformity correction
• Minimally invasive flatfoot and bunion correction

Orthopedic providers around the country rely on Boston Children’s Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Department and the Lower Extremity Program for guidance on both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. In late 2019, Lippincott published Boston Children’s Illustrated Tips and Tricks in Pediatric Orthopaedic Fracture Surgery. Written by our surgical team, the textbook provides an overview of a number of complex pediatric fracture surgeries, covering the lower extremities, spine, and upper extremities.