Recovery from an avulsion fracture can take six weeks to six months, and surgery is not always needed.
An example is aninjury to the fifth metatarsal, the bone on the outside of the midfoot.
Theperoneal tendonattaches to the base of this bone.
Andrii Lysenko / Getty Images
This causes the bone to crack where the tendon attaches to the bone.
The good news is that these fractures almost always heal with simple rest and time.
It’s important not to chase down a treatment for something that doesn’t require an intervention.
Treatment
Most often, an avulsion fracture can be treated without surgery.
In addition, some avulsion fractures affect such small pieces of bone there’s no need to repair them.
For example,ankle sprainsoften cause small avulsion fragments.
There are some concerns about treatment when the avulsion fracture involves the growth plate in a child.
Because growth plates are important for normal skeletal development, these injuries must be carefully treated.
This can stunt growth or cause an abnormal curve in the bone.
If the bony bar is caught early, a doctor can correct it.
You should see a hand specialist.
Physical therapy is usually recommended.
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