Historical Treatments for Perthes

Traction

Involved adhesive bandage strapped on to both legs with weights off the end of the bed, to ease the hip joint apart.  The strapping was removed weekly and new adhesive bandaging was applied immediately onto the raw skin.  There was no physiotherapy and no break from the traction, until it was deemed that it had been on long enough.

Calliper

This was a device that was strapped on daily.  It consisted of two metal bars, one down either side of the affected leg, a leather cuff at the thigh took the body weight and another below the knee, both of which were tightly laced to secure the calliper onto your leg.  The shoe was 'floating' in the frame with a leather strap attaching it to the frame, but no weightbearing allowed.  On the other foot was a matching shoe, with a bridge-type arrangement under it, so that the feet were kept level.  This was worn for over a year after 3 months in traction.  This photo was taken in approximately 1969.

Bracing

This photo was taken in 1975 - more information to follow