Excerpt from a doctors study of these injuries:
The average time lost from practice or competition in this group overall was 13.7 days, (range, 0 to 56 days). Average time lost from basketball was 19.8 days and from football 10.63 days overall. Average time lost from sport in stable fractures treated with casting or splinting was 12.3 days. Those undergoing open reduction in ternal fixation with plate and screws averaged 13.6 days.
We concluded that most metacarpal fractures in the athlete can be treated by closed means with a fairly rapid return to sport, depending on type of sport and position played. In certain displaced fractures, open reduction internal fixation can expedite early return to function and return to sport.