The typical presentation is a child or adolescent between the ages of 8 and 16 years of age, who complains of pain in his foot. The patient often has flatfeet, which is quite rigid and painful. Although the tarsal coalition is present at birth, symptoms do not appear till later because that is the time the coalition starts to transform from fibrous tissue or cartilage to bone. Your doctor will order X-rays to confirm the diagnosis. Often, CT scan or MRI may be needed if the X-rays appearance is uncertain.
Treatment is conservative initially.
Arch supports or walking casts for 6 weeks often relieve the symptoms. In patients where the symptoms are not relieved by conservative means, and impair function, surgery to excise the coalition is often successful. It is not possible to create a synovial joint, but by placing a muscle or fat in the space after excision, recurrence is prevented, and symptoms are usually relieved. The information presented is for your information only, and not a substitute for the medical advice of a qualified physician. Neither the author nor the publisher will be responsible for any harm or injury resulting from interpretations of the materials in this article.