Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma CIty Thunder and the reigning MVP of the NBA will be out for a minimum of 6-8 weeks after suffering a fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone of his right foot that will require surgical repair. This is a very common injury among basketball players and may indeed be the most common surgical procedure they undergo.
It has been diagnosed as a “Jones fracture”, which carries with it a significantly higher risk of delayed healing as compared to other fractures, even of the same bone. What is a Jones fracture and why can it be such a problem?
The 5th metarsal bone is the bone on the outside of the foot, behind the small toe. You may notice a bump on the outside border of your foot, approximately in the middle. This bump is actually the base of the bone, the other end (the head) being a part of the ball of your foot. A Jones fracture (pictured in the x-ray) occurs just beyond the base of the bone at an area called the diaphysis. The problem in this area is twofold: the fracture occurs in an area where there is poor blood supply within the bone and there are tendons which attach at the tip of the base of the metatarsal bone which are pulling the fracture site apart.
For these reasons, Jones fractures are notorious for delayed union or non-union of rthe fracture. As such, they are typically treated surgically, with a screw inserted to hold the fragments together and provide compression. Healing progress is monitored closely over the 6-8 weeks. Fortunately for him, professional athletes are provided with the facilities to maintain their aerobic conditioning and combined with his young age, hopefully he’ll heal uneventfully and be back on the court working his magic some time in December.
If you are experiencing pain in your foot, if you suspect that you might have injured your foot, call at once for an appointment at 732-282-3470 or request an appointment via our website at www.clarkpodiatry.com. We’ll fit you into the schedule ASAP. We have a digital x-ray on the premises so we can find out in a matter of seconds whether you have broken your foot–or hopefully not!
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