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Definition of Talipes
Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026
Talipes: Clubfoot. The Latin word talipes was compounded from talus (ankle) + pes (foot) since, with the common ("classic") type of clubfoot (talipes equinovarus), the foot is turned in sharply and the person seems to be walking on their ankle. Talipes equinovalgus: Malformation of the foot evident at birth in which the heel is elevated like a horse's hoof (equino-) and the heel is turned outward (valgus).
This is a type of congenital deformity of the foot usually marked by a curled shape or twisted position of the ankle and heel and toes.