WEST DES MOINES, IOWA -- One in every 1,000 children born in the U.S. has a birth defect known as “clubfoot,” a condition where the foot turns down and inward. But thanks to the creativity and persistence of an inventor and an Iowa orthopedic surgeon who started M.D. Orthopaedics, children across the globe are finding a non-surgical cure. M.D. Orthopaedics is Iowa Farm Bureau’s Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur of the month.
M.D. Orthopaedics was founded in 2003 by inventor John Mitchell and legendary orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Ignacio Ponseti. Dr. Ponseti wanted to find a better, more comfortable way to treat clubfoot in children than the blistering and rigid metal caging. Mitchell, a sculptor, inventor and medical device designer, created a shoe that proved effective in the treatment of clubfoot.
“I started this business in my garage and found out persistence pays; I must’ve gone through 25 revisions before we found something that was workable for a patient,” said Mitchell. “Dr. Ponseti was 80 years old when we met and said he was ‘far from retirement’ because he had so many patients with so many needs. I’m glad we made something together that sets a new standard in treatment that’s best for the patient.”
“M.D. Orthopaedics is a testament to the kind of hard work and creativity that’s needed to get a business off the ground,” said Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Development Administrator Sandy Ehrig. “They use the internet as a successful marketing tool and now requests for their products come from clients in England, Italy, even the Middle East.” M.D. Orthopaedics currently employs 15 full- and part-time people in rural Wayland, Iowa.
Farm Bureau’s Renew Rural Iowa program helps new and existing businesses grow and develop to achieve their best financial success. For more information about Renew Rural Iowa or upcoming Business Success seminars, call 800-254-9670 or log on to www.renewruraliowa.com.
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