Published in Rite Up, 2026 – Issue 3
At 16 months old, Cameron, of Irving, Texas, reached a milestone his parents have been eagerly anticipating — he walked independently for the first time. For parents Briana and Ryan, watching their son take those confident first steps represent more than a typical toddler achievement. It is a testament to early medical intervention and consistent treatment from a care team that has been there from the start.
Cameron’s story began before he was born. During a prenatal ultrasound at 20 weeks, Briana discovered her son would be born with bilateral clubfoot, a condition in which the feet are rotated inward and fixed in a downward position at the ankles. Clubfoot ranges in severity, and it is treatable with early intervention.
“When I looked online and saw babies with full leg casts, it looked very jarring,” Briana says. “I didn’t know if he would be able to walk.”
Pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of the Center for Excellence in Foot Anthony I. Riccio, M.D., evaluated Cameron just nine days after he was born. Cameron received follow-up care with nurse practitioner Libby Powell, FNP-C. The team applied the Ponseti method, using weekly casting to gradually manipulate the foot outward.
“Clubfeet, such as Cameron’s, are expected to correct nicely with careful and proper application of the Ponseti technique,” Dr. Riccio says. “When applied successfully, children never realize their foot is different than any other child’s.”
One challenging aspect of treatment is correcting the tight, shortened Achilles tendon, which often requires an Achilles tenotomy, a surgical procedure to release the tendon behind the ankle. Dr. Riccio performed this procedure, and Cameron recovered for three weeks in a cast. Then, he transitioned to wearing a boots and bar brace for 23 hours a day. The brace is composed of two shoes attached by a bar to hold the feet at an outward-rotated position.
“I was worried about whether he’d hit his milestones and how delayed he might be,” Ryan says. “But, I always felt confident he’d ultimately be OK.”
Fourteen months later, Cameron progressed to wearing the brace only at night. Physical therapists focused on strengthening his core and legs. About three weeks into therapy, he began to walk.
“The key to success with clubfoot is consistent brace wear,” Powell says. “As long as families are compliant, most children don’t require any other interventions.”
Early diagnosis, consistent treatment and a dedicated care team put Cameron firmly on the move. “We were very happy with his care at Scottish Rite,” Briana says. “We felt like we were in great hands the entire time.”
