An overview of the risk factors for producing fifth metatarsal fracture in sports activities: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: The fifth metatarsal fracture is a foot injury that occurs in sports activities. This fracture has been associated with risk factors based on intrinsic variables such as type of feet (flatfoot or cavus foot), foot pathologies, and bone density among others. Extrinsic variables associated with fifth metatarsal fractures include sports maneuvers, the type of sports practice, and contact surface. Although this injury has been investigated over the years, there is no consensus on the most relevant risk factors that cause this injury. An increase in the number of people with fractures makes it a relevant topic of research. The objective of this review was to identify an overview of the risk factors for producing the fifth metatarsal fracture based on intrinsic and extrinsic variables in sports activities. Furthermore, this review aimed to clarify what is known and what is needed on the risk factors that can influence the appearance of the fracture.

Methods: A search in electronic databases, such as Scopus (n = 87), PubMed (n = 187), and Web of Science (n = 173) was conducted. The initial search yielded 447 titles and abstracts, from which 31 papers were selected for detailed analysis after screening all citations against the eligibility criteria.

Results: After screening the manuscripts, it was found that the fifth metatarsal fracture can be produced by multiple factors. However, most of the studies focus on one or two specific risk factors. It was found that soccer (38.7%) is the sports activity that presents a higher risk of getting a fifth metatarsal fracture compared to other sports activities. The second risk factor was the performance of critical maneuvers (22.5%) and the third one was the biomechanics of the foot (22.5%).

Conclusion: It is paramount to identify the most critical risk factors linked to the fifth metatarsal fracture to be able to implement effective treatments and prevention strategies.

Keywords: fifth metatarsal fracture; foot; risk factors; sport.