title: Complications of tibial shaft soccer fractures.
abstract: A retrospective study of AO type 42 tibial diaphyseal fractures that presented to a teaching hospital over a 54 month period was made to identify the proportion sustained whilst playing soccer, determine their characteristics and report treatment and outcome. Sport accounts for 73/329 (22.1%) of these fractures and soccer 58/73 (79. 5%) of these. All patients were male with mean age of 24.3 years (range 8-48). Fifty-four fractures were closed and 93.1% (54/58) were situated in the middle third or at the junction of the middle and distal thirds of the diaphysis. Fifty-six (96.6%) had simple or wedge patterns and 45 (77.6%) were right sided. Forty-four (76.2%) were treated non-operatively in plaster, 12 (20.3%) by intramedullary nails and two (3.4%) with external fixators. Two patients were lost to follow-up and the remaining 56 fractures united at a mean of 6.5 months. There were 21 complications in 19/56 (33.9%) patients which included 8/56 (14.3%) delayed/non-unions requiring surgery. There was a significantly higher complication rate for operated fractures (p<0.005) but no significant link to AO fracture type. Thus we cannot assume that treatment of these common fractures is without risk, especially if they are treated operatively.
authors.affiliation: Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Templeton
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruguera
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000293:injuries*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome