Frieberg disease or Frieberg infraction is a chronic injury of the cartilage and subchondral bone of metatarsal heads.
Pathophysiology
Stress on the metatarsal head
Although the etiology is unclear, it is thought to be related to repetitive microtrauma or a prior traumatic insult resulting in subchondral vascular compromise and bone death (osteochondrosis) of a metatarsal head. Freiberg disease most often affects the 2nd metatarsal head but can also involve the 3rd and 4th heads.
Patients who have a 2nd metatarsal head that is longer than the first are at increased risk to develop Frieberg disease.
It is most often seen in younger females from 10-18 years of age. The male to female ratio is 1:3.