Dancer’s fracture of fifth metatarsal

NewsBot · Oct 22, 2020

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Epidemiology of dancers fracture in a general population
KarolienSchwagtenaJamesGillbVigdisThorisdottirc
Foot and Ankle Surgery; 21 October 2020

Highlights
•There is a very strong correlation between age above 40 years old and a low-energy trauma mechanism causing dancer’s fracture.
•All patients can be treated conservatively, however 1 out of 3 needs longer than 6 weeks to heal and 1 out of 10 will need longer than 3 months to heal.
•A dancer’s fracture in a woman above the age of 40 years old should be seen as an early fragility fracture and is therefore an indication for assessment for fragility fracture risk.
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Background
Dancer’s fracture is a spiral, oblique fracture of the diaphysis of the fifth metatarsal. Although it is a well-known fracture in high performance athletes, it is less studied in a general population. The article investigates the epidemiology within an adult population consulting a regional trauma and orthopedic center in the United Kingdom.

Methods
Study population included all patients older than 16 years presenting with a dancer’s fracture. Recorded data were age, sex, side and energy of trauma mechanism, applied treatment and time of healing.

Results
Of all fifth metatarsal fractures, 25% was found to have a dancer’s fracture. About 80% were women, and about 80% was older than 40 years. In the +40 y age group, all patients had a low energy trauma mechanism, where in the −40y age group this was only 27%. All patients were treated conservatively and no correlation was found between type of treatment (walker boot, stiff soled shoe) and time of healing. The time of healing was similar in both age groups and in general 1 out of 3 patients needed longer than 6 weeks to heal.

Conclusion
There is an increased incidence of dancer’s fracture observed in the female general population +40y age. A strong correlation was found between the +40y age group and low-energy trauma mechanism. This shows the importance of treating dancer’s fracture as a fragility fracture.
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NewsBot · Oct 22, 2020

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