Skylar, 6, was born with club feet. Both feet turned inward and upward toward his thighs.
When Skylar was a baby, his parents sought medical care for him, but what was provided did not improve the situation. Ultimately, a friend referred the family to Shriners Children’s Lexington, where they met Orthopedic Surgeon Ryan Muchow, M.D. The family regularly makes a three-hour trip to the medical center for his treatment but says the miles are worth it.
“Shriners Children’s does a wonderful job,” Skylar’s mom, Heather, said. “He has great doctors, and if it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t be walking today. I fully believe that.”
Skylar’s treatment has included numerous surgeries and bracing. He was also treated with the Ponseti method, which involves a series of casts, changed weekly, that turn the feet out. “With this method, we can get the foot fully corrected,” Dr. Muchow said. “It’s a pretty powerful situation to go from a foot that appears angled in the wrong direction to one that is flat. The patient is able to achieve whatever they desire, and the clubfoot doesn’t limit them in any way.”
Today, Skylar is free of any braces or casts, and he not only walks, but also travels the region as a tiny celebrity impersonator – dancing, singing and imitating the likes of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
“We never thought he’d be able to do anything like this,” Heather said. “To see him out there performing, when for so long we didn’t even know if he’d walk well, is a blessing. It feels like a miracle.”
