A close-up of a child's foot on tiptoes, wearing mustard-yellow leggings, demonstrating the toe-walking gait pattern often seen in equinus deformity cases, a focus of Progressive GaitWays' training.
A close-up view of a child's foot in a bright yellow cast, highlighting interventions like serial casting taught in Progressive GaitWays' Pediatric Equinus Deformity online course.
For the practitioner who has experience working with children with CNS dysfunction and habitual toe walking, including physical therapists, orthotists, pediatric orthopedists and PM&R physicians.

Development and Conservative Management of Pediatric Equinus Deformity—Part 1

11.50 Hours — $425 — 90-Day Access

This is the gold standard course for understanding the intricacies of foot function, the relationship between postural control and equinus deformity, and gait development in children with cerebral palsy and habitual toe walking.

Learn science-based assessment techniques and strategies for optimizing orthotic design to improve treatment outcomes.

At 11.5 hours, you could complete the course in two to four days. We give you 90.

View the Full Course Description
Student's Biggest Takeaways
"I learned so much in-depth information about the anatomy and biomechanics of the ankle and foot joints. Using this information, I will be able to better treat my patients through serial casting programs."
"Optimising foot and ankle alignment has a crucial role in postural control for standing and walking. This course has given me much more knowledge/theory of how (the practicalities!) to improve this alignment. I can't wait for the practical lab days!"
"Posture and alignment is key and that starts with the foot. Practical ways to start making these changes, how to measure and how to correct in theory. Looking forward to the practical labs."

Expert Strategies for Conservative Equinus Deformity Management Will Transform Your Pediatric Practice

When you have comprehensive knowledge of foot function, gait development, and advanced orthotic design techniques, you can change lives.

Here’s a small sampling of what you’ll learn when you enroll:

→ Insights into the intricacies of foot mechanics and how they evolve from infancy through childhood. 

→How postural control influences foot development and gait. 

→ Details of gait development and pathology that relate to equinus deformity development, prevention, and management. 

→ How lower limb muscles adapt physiologically to routine use, both in ideal and pathologic conditions. 

→ Science-based and relevant musculoskeletal assessment procedures.

→ Strategies for designing and optimizing stabilizing and functional effects of cast boots and orthotic devices. 

Since 1980, Beverly Cusick’s expertise in pediatric casting and related topics is founded in broad experience and a life-long study of supporting sciences. 

A group of young children in a classroom environment joyfully stretching, symbolizing the holistic approach to pediatric mobility and function taught in the Progressive GaitWays' hybrid learning model.
Development and Conservative Management of Pediatric Equinus Deformity

The Go-To Course for Serial Casting

→ Five value-packed sections
→ 90-day access
→ A handout of the course slides and reference lists
→ 11.50 didactic contact hours — PT and orthotist CEUs approved

Enroll Today
Student's Biggest Takeaways
"[This course] changed my assessment in terms of what I'm looking for and at when assessing children with various feet presentations."
"I learned so much in-depth information about the anatomy and biomechanics of the ankle joint. Using this information, I will be able to better treat my patients through serial casting programs."

Clinical Groups

Email Us for Group Discount

You have the option to enroll as a clinical group with your colleagues.

Simply email us and include your organization name, phone number, and type of clinicians in your group.

Email About Group Pricing

Individual Pay In Full

One-Time Payment of $425

→ Five value-packed sessions
→ 90-day access
→ A handout of the course slides and reference lists
→ 11.50 didactic contact hours — PT and orthotist CEUs approved.

Enroll Today with One Payment
This innovative approach offers you significant advantages

Experience the Best of Both Worlds with Our New Hybrid Course Model

Development and Conservative Management of Pediatric Equinus Deformity—Part 1 has transitioned from an entirely in-person event into a hybrid model, combining the convenience of online learning at your own pace with the benefits of supervised, hands-on training.

So what does this mean for you?

Comprehensive understanding: The hybrid model allows you to thoroughly understand both the theoretical and practical aspects of pediatric equinus deformity management.

The successful completion of Part 1 for $425 qualifies you to enroll in the hands-on lab course later.

Side note: This course is in-depth about the foot and ankle. Developmental Orthopedics is about the trunk, posture, and lower limbs with only the ankle included.

SESSION one

Functional Foot Anatomy
Standing Lab
Early Functioning Alignment and Foot Development
Foot Joint Motions and Structural Deviations
Features of Gait Development - Tuning Implications
2.11 hours

SESSION two

Triceps Surae Muscle Tone Development
Relating EQD Development to Postural Control Deficit
Movement Systems Analysis in EQD
Ankle DFROM Procedures
2.48 hours

SESSION three

Foot Joint Motions and Structural Deviations
Serial Casting Principles
Sagittal Plane Orthotic Posting for EQD
1.9 hours

SESSION four

Anatomic Limb Length Difference
Name That Foot Deformity
Posting Strategies for Optimizing Foot Alignment
Case - Matthew
Using AFOs to Support Neuromotor Re-education
Botox-A Long-Term Shortfalls
2.27 hours

SESSION five

Applying the Principles: Below-Knee Cast Design Review
Equinus Deformity Management Strategies that Build
Considerations and Ideas for Researchers
Summarizing Interview
Final Case Study

2.75 hours

And at the end of your 90-day access period, you'll be able to:

👉 Describe the motions of the foot joints and bones in open and closed kinematic chains using plane-based terminology.

👉 Discuss the kinesiologic benefits of optimizing functional alignment.

👉 Explain the verticality drive and its role in lower extremity deformity development in ambulatory children with bilateral CP.

👉 Describe the role of foot and ankle load receptors in postural control during standing and gait. Identify the location of the whole-body center of gravity (COG) in infants and adults.

👉 Explain the concept of the closed kinematic chain.

👉 Relate body weight acceleration to both typical and pathologic gait development.

👉 Understand the impact of body weight distribution on foot and ankle joint function and development.

👉 Discuss the vertical tibia period in typical gait development.

👉 Explain the swing limb's role as a torque generator for the stance limb in gait.

Plus, so much more...

A Few Words On CEUs

Continuing Education Unit Credits

PHYSICAL THERAPISTS: Upon course completion, you’ll earn a total of 11.50 contact hours which are accepted for PT CEU credits in over 40 states via Redefine Health Education. For a list of states that accept these CEUs and information about obtaining them in those that do not, please visit Redefine Health Education's website. 

ORTHOTISTS/PROSTHETISTS: This on-demand online course earns you 11.50 Category I scientific credits
through the American Board for Certification (ABC).

Earn Your CEUs

What You'll Get Inside Development and Conservative Management of Pediatric Equinus Deformity—Part 1

Cusick Developmental Orthopedics On-Demand Course Video Icon

25 content-rich topic videos as Billi walks you through how functioning alignment influences development, stability, engagement, and limb use in infants and children

Cusick Developmental Orthopedics On-Demand Course Pre-Readings Icon

Links to pre-readings to help familiarize you with the terminology used and concepts covered

Cusick Developmental Orthopedics On-Demand Course Materials Icon

Downloadable and detailed course materials (i.e. course slides and reference lists) and a flexible skeletal foot model for purchase (free shipping) to use during the didactic course to aid in your learning

Cusick Developmental Orthopedics On-Demand Course Discussion Form Icon

Peer-to-peer discussion forums available for each topic, and monitored by the CCL team

Cusick Developmental Orthopedics On-Demand Course CEU Icon

Well-earned continuing education units for 11.50 contact hours

Student's Biggest Takeaways
"I learned so much with this course; being fairly new to pediatrics, it was a steep learning curve but well worth it. The biggest takeaway for me was the measuring of R1A and how to accurately measure it and why it is so important."
"Just one?!? The importance of alignment to allow muscles to function as intended and the role of serial casting in this process."
"I should have enrolled in it earlier in my career. Filtering out a lot of outside noise."
"Importance of weight line training 2. Casting without stretching can improve DFROM with KE."
Meet Your Instructor

Billi Cusick

“The foot is our body-ground interface. All clinicians who work with children and adults with feet should strive to understand and to optimize their alignment and function.”

Billi Cusick, PT, MS, NDT, COF/BOC, is an internationally known pediatric physical therapist whose specialty is the orthopedic development and orthotic management of children with cerebral palsy and other neuromotor deficits. 

She has been teaching these and related topics since 1978, including presentations by invitation for the APTA, AACPDM, AOPA, and AAOP and more than 470 full programs and workshops worldwide.

Billi received her BS in PT from Bouve College at Northeastern University in Boston, MA in 1972, and her MS in Clinical and College Teaching for Allied Health Professionals from the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 1988. She is an Associate Professor for the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions – Pediatrics Program – Provo, Utah (2006-present) and is NDT basic- and baby-trained.

Student's Biggest Takeaways
"Correct alignment of the foot is a game changer! Vertical tibias, big baby foot, and understanding the proper sequence of growth, like how babies grow and learn. It was excellent!"
"Essential information for changing past paradigms."
"This is such valuable information. It is great to have access for 60 days to go over and review the content again and again. It will take multiple watches of some of the videos to grasp the concepts. I am really looking forward to the hands-on labs to put some of this into practice."

WHERE THIS ON-DEMAND COURSE CAN TAKE YOU

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