Fractures of the fifth metatarsal in basketball players

Abstract

A prospective nonrandomized study was made of 17 basketball players with fractures of the proximal third of the shaft of the fifth metatarsal. Eight had acute fractures, which were treated with a cast without weight-bearing, and the other nine had stress fractures for which percutaneous compression screwing was initially used. In the first group, union was obtained in four cases in an average of 9 weeks, with resumption of sport by 12 weeks. Three had a good outcome and the fourth was fair. The other four cases, which had not healed after 12 weeks of immobilization, were subsequently treated using compression screws. Resumption of sport was achieved 20-24 weeks after the fracture. Two of these had a good result; in the other two the results were fair. Of the nine patients with stress fractures in which a screw was inserted, all healed between 8 and 14 weeks and returned to sport within 7-12 weeks. Seven had a good result and the other two only fair. There was one intraoperative complication, but no postoperative complications, such as nonunion or refracture, were observed. Even if the non-operative treatment is able to provide a good result, immobilization without weight-bearing does not guarantee healing. In this series, percutaneous screw fixation was able to achieve successful healing in a short period of time. Thus, this procedure seems to be preferable for primary treatment of this lesion in athletes.

Intramedullary screw fixation in proximal fifth-metatarsal fractures in sports: clinical and biomechanical analysis

“…These Wnd- Table 1 Biomechanical muscle strength measurement The results show no signiWcant diVerence for eversion strength and the ES/IS ratio. However, a slight signiWcant diVerence could be seen for the inversion strength The results show no signiWcant diVerence for maximal ground reaction force, ground contact time, peak pressure and contact area from the aVected to the nonaVected contralateral foot ings were consistent with previous reported data [2,8,9]. The radiographic healing was found mainly between 6 and 12 weeks.…”

“…The radiographic healing was found mainly between 6 and 12 weeks. Similarly, Reese et al [10] and Portland et al [9] reported healing times within 6-8 weeks, Fernandez et al within 8-14 weeks [2]. Although complications like nonunion and persistent pain have been reported [11], this was found to happen mainly in cases in which return to competition was forced.…”

“…This way, stable Wxation and early weight-bearing is possible including a very-high and fasthealing time. Especially in high demand, young, sports active patients an operative treatment has to be favored as non-union rate in non-operative patients is signiWcantly higher [2,12,17] and secondary treated fractures need a more invasive surgical technique [18]. Alternatively to screw Wxation, Wxation with a bicortical screw in avulsion type fractures [19], and tension band wiring in small fragment fractures [20] is an option.…”

“…1) are common among athletes. Particularly involved are soccer players [1] and basketball players [2]. Low et al [1] found in college football players an incidence for Jones factures of 1.8%.…”

Effects of Wearing Foot Orthosis With Medial Arch Support on the Fifth Metatarsal Loading and Ankle Inversion Angle in Selected Basketball Tasks

“…10,11 Speculation exists that the increased medial support in modern basketball shoes may be a contributing factor to the increased incidence of a fifth metatarsal fracture. Other factors in footwear design, such as flexibility, cushioning, and fit, may also have effects on the stresses being placed on the fifth metatarsal during different athletic tasks.…”