Congenital limb deformities

Congenital limb deformities or dysmelia (from Ancient Greekδυσ- (dys)'bad' and μέλος (mélos)'limb') is a congenital disorder of a limb resulting from a disturbance in embryonic development. These congenital musculoskeletal disorders which primarily affect the upper and lower limbs.

An example is polydactyly, where a foot or hand has more than 5 digits. Clubfoot, one of the most common congenital deformities of the lower limbs, occurs approximately 1 in 1000 births. It can be treated by physical therapy, or by a combination of physical therapy and surgery.

A wide variety of abnormalities of the hands and feet, including the nails and the creases of the hand, have been described and differentiated. Many of these abnormalities do not have an impact on function but may be useful in diagnosing genetic syndromes; for example, the single transverse palmar crease is commonly associated with Down syndrome.