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Treatment of a spiral fracture8/11/2023 ![]() Figure 1: 5th Metatarsal Shaft “Dancer’s” FractureĪ patient who suffers a 5 th shaft fracture (See Figure 1) commonly gives a history of a twisting injury to their ankle and foot (inversion and plantarflexion injury), similar to what occurs with an ankle sprain (Figure 2). However, since this fracture of the fifth metatarsal was first described in ballet dancer’s, it has become known as a dancer’s fracture as well. **There is another fracture that may also be referred to as a dancer’s fracture. It often takes 4 or more months for a full recovery to occur. It typically takes about 6 weeks for adequate bone healing to occur, before patients can start to significantly increase their activity level. In many instances, this type of fracture can be treated non-operatively, with relative immobilization in a walking boot combined with limited weight-bearing. This 5th metatarsal “Dancer’s” fracture causes localized pain, swelling, and difficulty walking. During this injury, the 5th metatarsal is twisted by a strong force resulting in a spiral fracture. The more severe the break and extensive the medical intervention it necessitates, the more expensive care becomes and the longer a victim will likely have to miss work during recovery.A twisting injury to the ankle and foot may cause a long fracture of the 5th metatarsal shaft - the bone that attaches the little toe to the midfoot (Figure 1). These displaced spiral fractures typically require surgery and may also require the implantation of a metal rod, mesh or similar device to reinforce the broken bone during healing. However, a displaced spiral fracture requires substantially more effort to set and heal. In a stable spiral fracture, despite the torsional break, the parts of the bone remain properly aligned. In some cases, spiral fractures are so extreme that the bone breaks into multiple separate pieces, some of which may move and no longer sit in the proper location. However, one of the most important classifications, beyond the location of the injury, will deal with the impact of the injury on potential treatment. Medical professionals diagnosing an individual with a spiral fracture will look at multiple features of the break itself in their attempts to accurately describe and diagnose the injury. How Do Medical Professionals Qualify Spiral Fractures? Typically, spiral fractures affect longer, slender bones, including the femur, tibia, fibula, ulna, radius and humerus bones which comprise the arms and legs. The bone itself will have twisted, like a corkscrew or a spiral staircase, which is how the injury gets its name. Unlike most other fractures, which tend to have a somewhat flat, horizontal edge, spiral fractures often have diagonal edges. This twisting force causes worse fractures in many cases, sometimes with multiple small pieces of bone instead of just two. When a spiral fracture occurs, it is the result of a powerful twisting or rotating force at the time of the crash, possibly due either to the motion of the body or the vehicle itself. In a standard fracture scenario, lateral force or blunt force trauma to the body results in a break in the bone underneath. What Is The Difference Between A Standard Fracture And A Spiral Fracture? They may require surgery, implants and physical therapy for a patient to recover. Spiral fractures occur in collisions that involve exceptional force or high velocity. As frightening as a compound fracture may sound, there is another form of fracture that can be even more difficult to treat and recover from. A compound fracture, for example, results in substantial trauma and blood loss because the bone rips through the skin after the fracture. However, there are many different ways in which a person can break or fracture the bone, and some of them are far more severe than others. People often tend to think of broken bones as relatively minor compared to these two severe injuries possible in a car crash. Coma, diminished physical/mental capacity and permanent paralysis are all possible for those who suffer either of these two injuries, but other kinds of injuries can also have permanent consequences. There is little question that spinal cord injuries and head injuries top of the list of catastrophic medical issues that result from major motor vehicle collisions.
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