24M struggling with the condition

Hey everyone,

I’m really glad I found this subreddit, I’ve felt pretty isolated with this condition and it means a lot to know there’s a community here! Also feel sorry for everyone, because it’s really frustrating.

A bit of background: I’ve had recurring injuries my whole life, mostly around football (soccer). Last year in particular was rough, I was dealing with a lot of foot pain and shin splints almost constantly. Physios would clear me to play again, but after just one or two sessions, sometimes even a short jog, the pain came straight back. It got to a point where I genuinely started doubting myself, wondering if it was in my head.

Eventually I went to the hospital because something just felt structurally wrong, and I’m glad I did.

The diagnosis: bilateral talocalcaneal coalition with osseous bars, meaning two of the bones in each of my feet have fused together with bone tissue, significantly limiting mobility. On top of that, I have a history of ruptured ligaments in both ankles which likely went undetected for a long time and contributed to years of instability. I have no clue what it exactly is, but it’s not making things better for me.

I got this news about a year ago. I started wearing orthopedic footwear straight away, which helped to some extent.

Fast forward to now, I’m 24 and things are slowly getting worse tbh. I’ve been dealing with right knee pain for a few months, I regularly get cramp-like sensations in my feet and shins, and prolonged walking or standing is often just too much. Also mentally it isn’t the best for me recently. At first, so a year ago, I was relieved it wasn’t me being crazy, but they finally did found the why. But it feels like I’m only now starting to realise how serious this is. My orthopedic surgeon has told me that if it comes to surgery, a fusion would be the only option, not a resection, that’s not possible for me.

I’m hesitant to go down that road at my age, knowing it means permanently reduced mobility and such a long recovery period. But I also can’t ignore that my symptoms keep increasing…

I don’t really have specific questions, I’m more just curious about your experiences. Does any of this sound familiar? And for those who’ve had surgery: what ultimately made you choose to go through with it?

Both fusion and resection experiences are welcome.

Thanks for reading 🙏