Sports Related Fractures Presenting To an Orthopaedic Department

Abstract

Objective: To profile the patients with sports related fractures.
Patients and methods: This was a retrospective study of patients sustaining a sport related fracture between January 2000 and December 2006. The medical records including the demographic data, type of sport, mechanism and location of injury, and treatment applied were reviewed.
Results: A total of 74 patients with 74 fractures were included in this study. All the patients except one were male with a mean age of 21.6 years. Fractures occurred in 67 (90.6%) patients while playing football. Twenty-four (32.5%) patients sustained their fractures during competitive edition of games, with 21 (28.4%) being amateur players and three (4.1%) professional players. Fifty (67.5%) patients suffered from fractures during recreational
sporting activities. Non contact fractures were seen in 24 (32.4%) patients. Contact fractures accounted for 39 (52.7%) cases. The mechanism was unknown in 11(14.9%) patients. Fractures were located in the lower limb in 47 (63.5%) cases, while the upper limb was involved in 27 (26.5%) patients. Forty-two (56.7%) patients were treated by conservative means, while 22 (29.7%) were handled surgically. Ten (13.5%) patients went to traditional
healers.
Conclusion: Sports related fractures are important and in our environment football accounts for the majority of these fractures. Increasing participation of youth in sports activities will likely magnify the impact of such fractures on the healthcare system.


Keywords: Fractures, Sport

Nigeria Journal of Orthopaedics and Trauma Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 70-72