Long-Term Functional and Radiographic Outcomes of Untreated Tarsal Coalitions: A Community-Based Observational Study.

Summary: Imagine finding out two bones in your foot grew together, a condition called a "tarsal coalition." Doctors used to think this always led to foot pain and arthritis later in life. To test this, researchers looked at foot X-rays from older adults (average age 72) who weren't complaining of foot problems. They found that nearly 1 in 10 feet actually had these fused bones!

Surprisingly, people with fused foot bones didn't have worse foot pain, poorer function, or more arthritis than people with normal feet. The takeaway? If you have a tarsal coalition but it doesn't hurt, you probably don't need surgery. Leaving it alone is a safe choice for the long run.