Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Pseudo-Jones Fracture (5th Metatarsal Avulsion)
Pseudo-Jones fractures are small chip fractures at the base of the 5th metatarsal (outside of midfoot) caused by ankle rolling inward, pulling off a piece of bone where the peroneal tendon attaches - unlike true Jones fractures which have poor healing, pseudo-Jones fractures heal well in 95% of cases with simple walking boot or stiff-soled shoe for 4-6 weeks, returning to activities in 6-8 weeks.
📖What is Pseudo-Jones Fracture (5th Metatarsal Avulsion)?
Pseudo-Jones fractures are small chip fractures at the base of the 5th metatarsal (outside of midfoot) caused by ankle rolling inward, pulling off a piece of bone where the peroneal tendon attaches - unlike true Jones fractures which have poor healing, pseudo-Jones fractures heal well in 95% of cases with simple walking boot or stiff-soled shoe for 4-6 weeks, returning to activities in 6-8 weeks.
🔬What Causes It?
- Ankle inversion sprain (rolling ankle inward—peroneus brevis tendon pulls hard on 5th metatarsal base, avulsing bone fragment, 90% of pseudo-Jones fractures)
- Sudden change of direction or pivoting (sports like basketball, soccer—forceful peroneal muscle contraction)
- Stumbling or stepping off curb (unexpected foot inversion causing tendon to pull off bone)
- Landing from jump with foot inverted
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Ankle inversion injuries (any activity involving running, cutting, jumping on uneven surfaces)
- Sports requiring rapid direction changes (basketball, tennis, soccer, dancing)
- High-heeled shoes (unstable footwear increases ankle roll risk)
- Previous ankle sprains (weakened lateral ligaments predispose to recurrent inversion)
- Cavovarus foot (high arch foot type—places extra stress on lateral foot structures)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Ankle strengthening and proprioception exercises (balance training, peroneal muscle strengthening reduces ankle roll risk 40-60%)
- ✓Appropriate footwear for activity (avoid high heels for activities requiring stability, use supportive athletic shoes for sports)
- ✓Ankle bracing for previous sprains (functional ankle brace during sports reduces re-injury risk 50-70%)
- ✓Address foot biomechanics (if high-arched cavovarus foot, custom orthotics redistribute load away from lateral foot)