The Relative Incidence of Tarsal Coalition

TLDR

The overall incidence of tarsal coalition is less than 1 % and its clinical presentation typically appears 3–4 years after ossification. Calcaneonavicular (53 %) and talocalcaneal (37 %) coalitions are the most common types, usually causing painful feet, while talonavicular coalitions are typically asymptomatic and linked to other congenital anomalies; other types are rare, and demographic or diagnostic timing factors do not differ by coalition location.

Abstract

The overall incidence of tarsal coalition in the general population is unknown, but it is far less than 1%. Calcaneonavicular coalition was found to be the most common type (53%), followed by talocalcaneal coalition (37%). The other types appear infrequently. Most calcaneonavicular and talocalcaneal coalitions present as a painful foot of some type. Peroneal spastic flatfoot is a rare finding and occurred in only two of 22 talocalcaneal coalitions in the present study. Talonavicular coalitions were always associated with other congenital foot anomalies and were typically asymptomatic. Age at presentation, sex, and time to diagnosis were not statistically different among patients with coalitions at different locations. It is thought that clinical presentation corresponds to ossification of the coalition, which occurs an average of three to four years later.