Sports-medicine considerations of lesser metatarsalgia

In this article I have attempted to discuss some of the injuries seen in the lesser metatarsals of athletes. Athletic injuries in many cases do not differ greatly from those seen in the nonathletic population. The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of athletic injuries might parallel the same injuries seen in the general population. I have tried to extend my experience to the reader. Like any practitioner, my treatment is colored by many factors. I try to assess every athletic injury by what I call the eight "Ses" of sports medicine. Shoe gear, stretching, strength, sport, surface, speed, style, and support. Each of these categories is examined for its relationship to cause and prevention of the injury. In many cases, a simple change in the athletic shoe gear can eliminate a problem. The same is true for the style of play or running form. The importance of strength and flexibility in the athlete cannot be overemphasized. The surface on which and speed at which an event is played can influence injury rates and methods of prevention. The sport is often the sole cause for certain injuries. Most of all, from a podiatric standpoint, the structure or biomechanics of the injury must be assessed. It is from this viewpoint that we as podiatrists can make the largest contribution in sports medicine. We are uniquely qualified by our training to spot and correct injuries due to mechanical overload and failure of foot mechanics. No other specialty has the background in performing biomechanically sound surgery. Simple and straightforward podiatric techniques are often successful in prevention and treatment of sports injuries.