This is a case report on the temporal changes in gait pattern pre- and postfracture in a patient treated conservatively for a fifth metatarsal fracture. The fifth metatarsal fracture and subsequent immobilization strongly suggest a decrease in push-off force on the injured side during walking. This also affects the movement of the right lower limb. Decreased push-off on the fractured side reduces propulsion and limits the walking performance in daily life. Walking speed improved after 16 weeks, and this improvement was consistent with an improvement in the push-off angle. As this report measured gait in daily life, the patient's real-life mobility was affected for 15 weeks after the fracture.
Suzuki et al. (Sat,) studied this question.