Tibial fractures following participation in recreational football: Incidence and outcome.

Background: Football is responsible for 3.5%-10% of all injuries treated in hospital, but this may reflect the popularity of the sport rather than its dangers. Young people are particularly at risk of sports injury because of high levels of exposure at a time of major physiological change. Soccer players are susceptible to a variety of injuries due to contact, aggressive tackle, and high-speed collisions.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of presentation, treatment, and outcome of tibial fractures following participation in recreational football activity; with the hope that knowledge gained from this study will help in preventing or reducing its occurrence.

Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all cases of tibial fractures following participation in recreational football presenting to the Orthopedic Unit of Federal Medical Center and Surgery Department of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital all in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, north western Nigeria; from January 2012 to December 2017. Data were extracted from the accident and emergency register, operation register, and patients' case folders on biodata, diagnosis, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, type of surgical procedure, site of surgery, date of surgery, and postoperative complications. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows version 22. Results were presented with descriptive statistics.

Results: In total, 37 patients were included in the study. All of them were males. The age range is from 14 to 33 years with mean age of 23.6. 17 (45.9%) of the patients are in the 21- to 30-year age group. The right tibia was affected in 34 (91.9%) patients. None of the patients used shin guard. The mechanism of injury in all the cases was direct contact. About 31 (83.8%) of the fractures were closed. Seven (18.9%) of these patients were discharged against medical advice. Nineteen (51.3%) patients were managed nonoperatively with plaster of Paris casts. Ten (27.1%) of these patients had internal fixation with locked intramedullary nail.

Conclusion: Tibial fractures following football occur mostly in males especially adolescents and youths. The right tibia was commonly affected and most of the injuries are closed. The most common mechanism of injury was direct contact.