Tarsal coalition is a union (or coalition) of two or more bones in the hind foot or mid foot. The bones of the mid and hind foot are collectively known as the tarsals.
It can be a congenital defect, which means it’s existed since birth. Sometimes it can result from an injury to the foot.
If you’re like me, the coalition is the result of a birth defect. As you developed, before birth, the tarsals were part of a block of material that became the bones of your foot. As you grew the bones formed, split and hardened. A coalition formed when the split was incomplete. The resulting union can be bony (synostosis), cartilaginous (synchondrosis), or fibrous (syndesmosis).
In my case I have a talo-calcaneal coalition. The talus and calcaneous (heel bone) touch on three facets. I have a union of the mid facet. Learn more about foot anatomy.
Another common union is between the calcaneous and navicular. And sometimes there is a union between all three; talus, calcaneous and navicular.
Tarsal coalition can be genetic. My parents don’t appear to have it, and neither do my children. However I have had a great uncle and a nephew born with a club foot. I’m not sure there’s a correlation.
1 comment:
I had an ankle injury 4 months ago and went undiagnosed for 6 weeks. Once properly diagnosed, it turned out that I had a tendon avulsion. Post 4 months injury, I continued to have ankle pain even though I had 2 air boots and 2 fibreglass casts. A CT revealed that I have non-osseous calcaneonavicular coalition. My Orthopedic Surgeon feels that this is caused from a childhood injury but I know for a fact that there were no childhood injury. I believe I know what caused this. Years of repetitive motion of flexing my ankle under my work chair.
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