Effectiveness of Shockwave Treatment for Proximal Fifth Metatarsal Stress Fracture in Soccer Players

Fifth metatarsal stress fracture is a failure of a healthy metatarsal bone subject to repetitive microdamages. It has a high prevalence in soccer players and is classified as a high-risk stress fracture. Based on Torg classification, the treatment options may be conservative or surgical. The recent increase of evidences about Shock Wave Treatment in different bone pathologies, including stress fractures, suggests the possibility to use this conservative intervention option also in patients candidate for surgery. This randomized clinical trial included 18 soccer players diagnosed of proximal fifth metatarsal stress fracture, randomly matched in Surgery group and Shock Wave group. Patients of Surgery group were treated with intramedullary screw fixation; patients of Shock Wave group received 3 weekly sessions of Focused Shock Wave Treatment (F-ESWT), using an electrohydraulic device set to an energy flux density (EFD) of 0.21 mJ/mm2 and 2000 impulses. Patients of both groups were followed monthly until their return to play (RTP) using radiography, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Tegner Activity Level Scale and AOFAS score.