Incorrect shape of the casts
5 January 2023
Pseudo-dorsiflexion
3 December 2025
Is it safe to transport a child wearing a Foot Abduction Brace in a car seat? And how can you keep your little one safe while traveling with orthopedic equipment? Find out in our article.
TIME TO START!
Families often travel hundreds of kilometers to ensure their child receives proper, proven treatment. Everything is easier when parents travel with a child in casts, but things get more complicated once the bracing phase begins. This is because the brace must be used according to the PROTOCOL, which in the initial stage requires wearing it for 23 hours a day during the first three months after the cast removal following the tenotomy.
20-30 TIMES
In a collision involving a vehicle traveling at a relatively low speed, around 50 km/h, each passenger — just like any unsecured object inside the car — is subjected to forces that “increase” their weight by 20–30 times. This means that during an impact, a newborn weighing 3.5 kg can reach a “weight” of 70–105 kg!
A MINI Mitchell FAB (used in Poland, it is Mitchell bar shortened to 15 cm) bar with size 0 Mitchell boots weighs 235 g. In a car crash at 50 km/h, the forces acting on it are 20–30 times greater. Its actual weight doesn’t change (during the collision the device still weighs 235 g), but it will strike the child with an effective force equivalent to 4.7–7.05 kg. The trajectory of the child’s legs with the brace means that this equipment can hit the child directly in the head.
Let’s imagine being hit in the head with a 7-kilogram brick…
These forces can be even greater, because not all collisions are the same.
WE WON’T PUT (IT) IN
At our Foundation, we have a saying: “We would rather have a child with crooked feet who is alive, than a dead child with straight ones.” When we teach parents HOW TO USE FAB, we always emphasize that we can treat their child’s feet for a lifetime and fix them as many times as needed — but we cannot put the brain back into the skull afterward, because we simply don’t know how… It may sound a bit frightening, but it is very true.
IT DOESN’T MATTER…
That’s why it doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling 5 minutes or 5 hours with a child who is supposed to wear a FAB — the brace (usually Mitchell boot + bar) must ALWAYS be removed while riding in the car.
THE FAB (USUALLY MITCHELL BOOTS + BAR)
MUST ALWAYS BE REMOVED WHEN TRAVELING BY CAR.
Most accidents happen close to home. Why? Because we know the area very well, we often drive “on autopilot,” and since we’re familiar with the surroundings, we aren’t as focused as we should be. We also tend to believe that at relatively low speeds we can stop in time or quickly drive away to avoid a crash.
“But if we have a 7-hour drive home and our child needs to wear the brace 23 hours a day, we won’t fit it into the schedule.” — this is a common concern among parents.
We then ask: Does your child travel for 7 hours every day?
And we repeat: the FAB must ALWAYS be removed while your child is in the car.
You can’t “make up for” missed bracing time the next day — it’s not always possible, and it’s not necessary. Once you arrive home, simply put the brace back on, and the child will spend the rest of the day in this important orthopedic device that protects their health.
NOT ENOUGH SPACE
Sometimes putting a child wearing the brace into a car seat forces their body into an unnatural position. The legs with the brace simply don’t fit in the seat. It becomes very difficult to ensure the child is positioned correctly — safely and comfortably. In the event of a car accident, this can have catastrophic consequences. Tucked-up legs are also very likely to cause intestinal problems — colic would be the most common symptom.
WHAT IF…
…we could somehow strap the legs with the brace using the seatbelt or tie them to the car seat?
NO!
Any additional “gadgets,” alternative or modified fastenings, rerouting the seatbelt, or using the belt in any way other than intended poses a serious safety risk to the child and everyone else in the vehicle — and is not allowed!
So don’t improvise — during the car ride, remove the brace from your child’s feet and store it in a zippered bag (so that in the event of a crash it doesn’t fly out and injure passengers).
TESTS/ RESEARCH
There is a global lack of studies showing how a child’s body behaves in a car crash while wearing the brace (or any other type of orthopedic equipment). Unfortunately, conducting such research is very expensive. However, we hope — and will continue to advocate — that these studies will be carried out in the future. Keep your fingers crossed! Maybe someday…
