Child running freely, supported by Steenbeek brace.

Clubfoot Care Revolution: How a Low-Cost Brace is Transforming Lives

Theo Raines in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how the Steenbeek foot abduction brace is making quality clubfoot treatment accessible in underserved communities, offering hope and mobility."

Clubfoot, a common birth defect affecting approximately one in every 1,000 live births globally, poses significant challenges, especially in resource-limited settings. In Kenya, around 1,200 infants are born with clubfoot annually. Without proper treatment, this condition leads to painful deformities, physical disability, and social stigma.

The Ponseti method, a widely accepted treatment protocol, includes bracing as a crucial component for maintaining correction after initial casting. However, standard 'child-friendly' braces often come with a hefty price tag of around $300 USD, making them unaffordable for many families in Kenya and other developing nations. This affordability gap has driven the search for more accessible solutions.

Enter the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB). Locally made in Kenya for under $10 USD, the SFAB has been used since the inception of the Clubfoot Care for Kenya (CCK) program in 2005. To assess its impact, a study was conducted to investigate the acceptance, tolerability, compliance, complications, and outcomes associated with SFAB use within the CCK program.

Unlocking Mobility: The Impact of the Steenbeek Foot Abduction Brace

Child running freely, supported by Steenbeek brace.

The study, conducted between January and June 2014 across four health institutions affiliated with the CCK program, provides compelling insights into the effectiveness and practicality of the SFAB. These institutions, serving both urban and rural populations, collectively address approximately 50% of the clubfoot burden in Kenya. Researchers collected data from children enrolled in the CCK program who had used the SFAB for at least six months.

Data was gathered through questionnaires, focusing on key aspects of brace usage. Tolerability was gauged by observing any visible discomfort in children wearing the brace, while compliance was defined as consistent brace use for six months or longer. Complications, such as skin lesions, were also carefully documented. The success of the treatment was measured by comparing the progress in foot deformity correction between clinic visits.

High Tolerance: The study revealed that 93.5% of children showed no visible discomfort while using the SFAB, indicating good tolerability.
Improved Compliance: Only 15% of patients experienced noncompliance with the SFAB, which is notably lower than the 41% reported with traditional Dennis Brown braces.
Low Complication Rate: Complications were reported in just 5% of cases, primarily as minor skin bruising or pressure sores, easily managed with proper care.

The study's findings clearly demonstrate that the SFAB offers a viable, cost-effective solution for clubfoot management. Its high tolerability, improved compliance rates, and minimal complications make it an attractive alternative to more expensive braces. Encouragingly, 94% of compliant children showed significant improvement in foot deformity correction, further solidifying the SFAB’s role in transforming lives.

Transforming Healthcare: The Future of Clubfoot Treatment

The Steenbeek foot abduction brace represents more than just an orthopedic device; it embodies a pathway to accessible and effective healthcare. Its low cost, coupled with high efficacy and minimal complications, makes it a game-changer for clubfoot treatment in developing countries. Ministries of health are encouraged to incorporate clubfoot treatment into mainstream services, ensuring that all affected infants have access to this life-changing appliance. By embracing innovation and local solutions, we can collectively strive towards a future where every child has the opportunity to walk, run, and thrive.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) and how does it help children with clubfoot?

The Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) is a low-cost brace designed to treat clubfoot, a birth defect where a baby's foot turns inward. The SFAB is used to maintain the correction achieved through the Ponseti method, a common treatment. Its main role is to hold the corrected foot in the correct position, preventing the clubfoot from returning and allowing the child to develop normally. This is crucial because without proper bracing, the initial correction can be lost, leading to potential long-term physical disabilities and social stigma.

How does the cost of the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) compare to other clubfoot treatment options, and why is this significant?

The SFAB is a significantly more affordable option compared to standard 'child-friendly' braces, costing under $10 USD versus approximately $300 USD. This cost difference is crucial, especially in resource-limited settings such as Kenya and other developing countries, where many families cannot afford expensive medical treatments. The lower cost of the SFAB makes quality clubfoot treatment accessible to a much wider population, allowing more children to receive the necessary care and avoid the severe consequences of untreated clubfoot.

What were the key findings of the study on the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) regarding its effectiveness and patient experience?

The study highlighted several key findings. It found that 93.5% of children using the SFAB showed no visible discomfort, indicating high tolerability. Compliance with the brace was also improved, with only 15% of patients showing noncompliance, compared to 41% with traditional Dennis Brown braces. Complications were low, occurring in only 5% of cases, and primarily consisting of minor skin issues. Most importantly, 94% of compliant children showed significant improvement in foot deformity correction, demonstrating the SFAB's effectiveness.

Can you explain the role of the Ponseti method in the treatment of clubfoot, and how the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) fits into this method?

The Ponseti method is a widely accepted treatment protocol for clubfoot. It typically involves a series of gentle manipulations and plaster casts to gradually correct the foot deformity. After the initial correction achieved through casting, bracing is a critical step in the Ponseti method. The Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB) is used to maintain the correction obtained by the casts. The brace is worn for a specific duration, often full-time initially, and then at night, to prevent the clubfoot from relapsing. The SFAB plays a pivotal role in the success of the Ponseti method, and therefore the overall treatment's success.

What are the long-term implications of using the Steenbeek foot abduction brace (SFAB), and how is it contributing to improving healthcare access?

The long-term implications of using the SFAB are significant. By providing an affordable and effective bracing solution, the SFAB helps children with clubfoot to walk, run, and participate fully in society, preventing the painful deformities, physical disabilities, and social stigmas associated with untreated clubfoot. It also contributes to improving healthcare access by making quality clubfoot treatment available in underserved communities. The SFAB is a life-changing appliance, transforming not only the lives of the children but also encouraging ministries of health to integrate clubfoot treatment into mainstream services to ensure that more children have access to this essential care.