Pathogenesis Of Jones Fractures In Soccer Players

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the physical characteristics of cases of Jones fractures in male soccer players of each generation. METHODS: The subjects were 455 university soccer players, 399 high school soccer players, and 280 junior high school soccer players who belonged to a certain soccer team. A medical check was conducted in the first year of enrollment, including height, weight, toe grip strength, Q-angle, leg-heel angle, functional reach, time to maintain one-leg standing with eyes closed, straight leg raising angle, finger floor distance, heel buttock distance, ankle dorsiflexion angle in weight bearing position, lower leg forward tilt angle, change in foot arch height ratio, hip joint internal rotation angle, and general joint laxity test. The occurrence of Jones fractures was then prospectively investigated. Each generation was divided into a Jones fracture group and a control group, and the medical check items were compared to examine the correlation. RESULTS: The incidence of Jones fractures was 37 cases, 0.13/1000 Athlete-Exposures (AEs) in university soccer players, 24 cases, 0.09/1000 AEs in high school soccer players, and 5 cases, 0.03/1000 AEs in junior high school soccer players. In university soccer players, toe grip strength (Jones fracture group 16.7 ± 2.9 kg vs. control group 18.7 ± 3.9 kg, p = 0.02, OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.43-1.98) and change in foot arch height ratio (Jones fracture group 2.2 ± 0.2% vs. control group 2.9 ± 0.8%, p = 0.03, OR = 7.53, 95%CI: 1.33-52.60) were significantly smaller, in high school soccer players, hip internal rotation angle (Jones fracture group 27.7 ± 2.4 degrees vs. control group 38.3 ± 10.4 degrees, p = 0.03, OR = 3.22, 95%CI: 2.11-24.11) was significantly smaller, and in junior high school soccer players, height (Jones fracture group 165.7 ± 6.5 cm vs. control group 158.7 ± 7.2 cm, p = 0.02, OR = 2.11, 95%CI: 5.21-15.67) was significantly larger. CONCLUSIONS: Physical factors involved in the occurrence of Jones fractures include small toe grip strength and change in foot arch height ratio in university male soccer players, small hip internal rotation angle in high school soccer players, and large height in junior high school soccer players.