Characteristics of plantar pressure distribution in elite male soccer players with or without history of proximal fifth metatarsal fracture: a case-control study.
Motoki Kuzuyama, John Perrier, Yuji Kusaki and 3 others
PMID 31417216WHAT IT FOUND
Elite soccer players with healed proximal fifth metatarsal fractures had higher pressure under the fifth metatarsal during walking and a more angled walking pressure track than controls.
The study could not tell whether these patterns came before or after injury.
Key findings
01During walking, fifth metatarsal pressure was higher in the fracture group: 55.4 ± 27.4% versus 24.0 ± 5.0% in controls (p=0.01).
02The COP angle during walking was higher in the fracture group: 18.2 ± 1.4° versus 12.4 ± 2.3° in controls (p=0.02).
03COP track length did not differ significantly: double limb stance was 275.4 ± 37.1 mm versus 264.8 ± 31.8 mm (p=0.48), and single limb stance was 1,182.4 ± 224.6 mm versus 1,118.8 ± 124.6 mm (p=0.47).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only seven players had a prior proximal fifth metatarsal fracture, so the injured group was small. The players had already healed, and the study did not show whether higher fifth metatarsal pressure and COP angle existed before the fracture or developed after it. Measurements were barefoot walking at natural speed, not soccer boot wear, sprinting, cutting, or running, which are the movements linked to injury. The sample was elite male soccer players, so the findings do not describe other groups. The study did not test any treatment or prevention strategy, so it cannot support treatment decisions. Some outcome measures were taken only from fractured feet in the fracture group, limiting comparison with control feet.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that higher fifth metatarsal pressure or COP angle caused proximal fifth metatarsal fracture. The study measured players after healing and could not determine whether these patterns were present before injury or developed after it.