Causes
Metatarsal fractures are usually caused by direct violence or accidents. A further anatomical feature of the foot is that it consists of two arches – the longitudinal and transverse arches – to better absorb loads. The transverse arch is built up by the narrow metatarsal bones. To maintain the shape of the arch, the bones are under constant tension. If the bones are subjected to constant additional stress, such as in ballet dancers or long-distance runners, a stress or fatigue fracture can occur in the long term.In order to better understand the metatarsal fracture, the article “Metatarsal fracture” is recommended, where the causes and the therapy of the orthopedist are discussed.
Symptoms
Typical symptoms of a metatarsal fracture are painful restrictions of movement and pain on exertion, as well as the classic signs of inflammation such as swelling, redness and heat in the affected area. Normal walking and standing is no longer possible without severe pain.
Fatigue fracture
In case of fatigue fracture, the bone is simply overloaded. The tissue can no longer withstand the constant extreme stress. Permanently existing loads damage the bone tissue with tiny cracks without direct injury or the use of force.
A creeping process that develops over a long period of time. Mostly affected are sportsmen and women with repetitive loads. At some point, the bone tissue is damaged to such an extent that it breaks under the next load.
Even small traumas can be the final trigger for the damaged bone. Compared to other bones of our skeletal system, the metatarsal bones are most frequently affected by fatigue fractures, since they have to withstand extreme loads not only in sports, but also in everyday life through simple walking, standing and running. Due to the constant strain, the body has no possibility to repair the small cracks in the bone tissue.
Most frequently affected by a metatarsal fracture is the little toe (5th metatarsal). When a metatarsal bone is broken, swelling does not always necessarily occur if the injury is only small and the bone ends are hardly displaced. In this case, there is a risk that the injury will be underestimated, pain ignored and further training will be required. However, pain is a warning signal inherent in the body, which always indicates that something in the body is not right. If you experience sudden pain during exercise, you should consult a physician to have an X-ray examination.
