How can you tell if your toe is broken or just sprained? Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for a broken toe. Get ready to get your feet back in action.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

The first sign of a broken toe is typically throbbing pain. You may also hear the bone break at the time of injury. A broken toe can cause swelling, bruising, and difficulty putting any weight on the affected foot. If the toe is dislocated and resting at an unnatural angle, it’s likely a more serious break.

In contrast, a sprained toe will have less bruising and the pain may be felt more generally around the toe, rather than precisely where the break occurred. The only way to know for sure is to see your doctor and get an X-ray.

Causes of a Broken Toe

The two most common causes of a broken toe are stubbing it into something hard or having something heavy land on it. Going barefoot, especially in the dark or unfamiliar environments, increases the risk. Carrying heavy objects without proper foot protection like thick boots can also lead to a broken toe.

What to Expect When Seeing the Doctor

Your doctor will examine your toe and likely order X-rays to confirm if it’s broken. They’ll also want to understand the details of your injury and any symptoms like numbness or tingling, which could indicate nerve damage. The X-rays will help them determine the extent of the break and whether surgery is necessary.

Treatment of a Broken Toe

For most broken toes, the main treatment is to rest, ice, and keep the toe stable by “buddy taping” it to the toe next to it. Over-the-counter pain medications can also help manage discomfort. More serious breaks may require a walking cast or even surgery to reset the bone and insert pins or screws.

Recovery Time for a Broken Toe

Even after a few weeks, a broken toe is likely to remain tender and swollen. You’ll need to avoid strenuous activity like running, sports, or long walks for 1-2 months to allow proper healing. Breaks in the longer metatarsal bones can take even longer to recover.

Preventing Future Toe Injuries

To reduce the risk of stubbing or dropping something on your toes, consider wearing sturdy, closed-toe shoes when walking in dimly lit or unfamiliar areas, or when carrying heavy objects. Being mindful of your surroundings and taking extra care can go a long way in protecting your toes from harm.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you experience severe pain, swelling, bruising, or difficulty walking after injuring your toe, it’s best to see a doctor right away. They can determine if it’s a break or sprain and provide the appropriate treatment to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.

Knowing the signs of a broken toe and seeking prompt medical care is crucial to avoid long-term complications like osteoarthritis. With the right treatment and recovery time, most people with a broken toe can return to their normal activities within a few weeks to a couple months.

What are the key differences between a broken toe and a sprained toe? A broken toe will typically have more severe pain, swelling, and discoloration than a sprain. You may also hear the bone break at the time of injury. With a sprain, the pain is often more general around the toe rather than precisely where the break occurred.

How long does it take to recover from a broken toe? Recovery time can vary depending on the severity of the break, but generally ranges from 1-2 months. Breaks in the longer metatarsal bones may take even longer. During this time, you’ll need to avoid strenuous activities like running, sports, and prolonged walking to allow the toe to heal properly.

What should you do immediately after injuring your toe? Even before knowing if it’s broken or sprained, you should ice the toe, keep it elevated, and take over-the-counter pain medication. This can help reduce swelling and discomfort while you wait to see a doctor.

When is surgery needed for a broken toe? More serious breaks that involve bone fragments or misalignment may require surgery to reset the bone and insert pins or screws to help it heal correctly. Your doctor will review the X-ray results to determine if surgery is the best treatment option.

How can you prevent future toe injuries? Wearing sturdy, closed-toe shoes when walking in dimly lit or unfamiliar areas, or when carrying heavy objects, can go a long way in protecting your toes. Being mindful of your surroundings and taking extra care can also help reduce the risk of stubbing or dropping something on your feet.

How to Tell if Your Toe is Broken

Is it a sprain or a break?

If you’ve ever stubbed your toe hard, the immediate, severe pain can leave you wondering if your toe is broken. In many cases, the injury winds up being a sprain. This is painful, but it means the bone itself is still intact.

If the toe bone breaks into one or more pieces, then you have a broken toe.

Learning to recognize the symptoms and treatment of a broken toe is important. If a broken toe is left untreated, it can lead to problems that may affect your ability to walk and run. A poorly treated broken toe may also leave you in a lot of pain.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

Throbbing pain in the toe is the first sign that it may be broken. You may also hear the bone break at the time of injury. A broken bone, also called a fracture, may also cause swelling at the break.

If you’ve broken your toe, the skin near the injury may looked bruised or temporarily change color. You’ll also have difficulty putting any weight on your toe. Walking, or even just standing, can be painful. A bad break can also dislocate the toe, which can cause it to rest at an unnatural angle.

A sprained toe shouldn’t look dislocated. It will still swell, but will likely have less bruising. A sprained toe may be painful for several days, but should then begin to improve.

One other key difference between a break and a sprain is the location of the pain. Usually a break will hurt right where the bone has fractured. With a sprain, the pain may be felt in a more general area around the toe.

The only way to tell for sure if the injury is a break or a sprain is to see your doctor. They can examine your toe and determine the type of injury.

Causes

The two most common causes of a broken toe are stubbing it into something hard or having something heavy land on it. Going barefoot is a major risk factor, especially if you’re walking in the dark or in an unfamiliar environment.

If you carry heavy objects without proper foot protection, such as thick boots, you’re also at a higher risk for a broken toe.

What to expect when you see your doctor

A broken toe can usually be diagnosed with the use of an X-ray. If the pain and discoloration don’t ease up after a few days, you should definitely see your doctor.

A broken toe that doesn’t heal properly could lead to osteoarthritis, a painful condition that causes chronic pain in one or more joints.

Your doctor will examine your toe and ask for your medical history. Tell your doctor as many details as you can about the injury and your symptoms. Be sure to tell your doctor if you notice a loss of feeling or tingling in your toe. This could be a sign of nerve damage.

If there’s a chance the toe is broken, your doctor will likely want to get one or more X-rays of the injured toe. Getting images from different angles is important to understand the extent of the break.

Information from the X-ray will also help your doctor decide whether surgery is necessary.

Treatment of a Broken Toe

With most cases of a broken toe, there’s little your doctor can do. It’s mostly up to you to rest your toe and keep it stable.

Even before you know whether your toe is broken, you should ice the injured toe and keep it elevated. You may also take over-the-counter painkillers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).

If you have surgery to repair the toe, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medicines.

Splinting your toe

Typical treatment for a broken toe is called “buddy taping.” This involves taking the broken toe and carefully securing it to the toe next to it with medical tape. Usually, a gauze pad is placed between the toes to prevent skin irritation.

The non-broken toe is basically used as a splint to help keep the broken toe from moving too much. By taping the broken toe to its neighbor, you give the injured toe the support it needs to begin healing.

Surgery and additional treatment options

More serious breaks may require additional treatment. If you have bone fragments in the toe that need to heal, taping may not be enough.

You may be advised to wear a walking cast. This helps keep the injured toe stable while also giving your foot enough support to reduce some of the pain you may have while walking.

In very serious cases, surgery may be necessary to reset the broken bone or bones. A surgeon can sometimes put a pin or a screw into the bone to help it heal properly. These pieces of hardware will remain in the toe permanently.

Recovery for a Broken Toe

Your toe is likely to be tender and swollen, even after a few weeks. You’ll likely need to avoid running, playing sports, or walking long distances for one to two months after your injury.

Recovery time can be longer if the break is in one of the metatarsals. The metatarsals are the longer bones in the foot that connect to the phalanges, which are the smaller bones in the toes.

Your doctor can give you a good estimate of recovery time based on the severity and location of your injury. A mild fracture, for example, should heal faster than a more severe break.

With a walking cast, you should be able to walk and resume most non-strenuous activities within a week or two after injuring your toe. The pain should diminish gradually if the bone is healing properly.

If you feel any pain in your broken toe, stop the activity that’s causing the pain and tell your doctor.

Outlook

The key to a good outcome is following through on your doctor’s advice. Learn how to tape your toe properly so you can change the tape regularly.

Carefully try to put more pressure on your broken toe each day to see how it’s recovering. Take any slight improvements in pain and discomfort as signs that your injury is healing.

Tips for recovery

Here are some things you can do to improve your recovery.

Footwear

You may temporarily need a bigger or wider shoe to accommodate your swollen foot. Consider getting a shoe with a hard sole and a lightweight top that will put less pressure on the injured toe, but still provide plenty of support.

Velcro fasteners that you can easily adjust can provide additional comfort.

Ice and elevation

Continue to ice and elevate your foot if your doctor recommends it. Wrap the ice in a cloth so that it doesn’t come into direct contact with your skin.

Take it slow

Ease back into your activities, but listen to your body. If you sense that you’re putting too much weight or stress on the toe, back off. It’s better to have a longer recovery and avoid any painful setbacks than to rush back into your activities too quickly.

New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopaedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.

New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopaedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions such as sports injuries and fractures to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.

Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopaedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.

If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.

Difference Between Broken Toe and Sprained Toe

Injuring one of your toes is never a good situation. But considering the toes are such small bones within the body, it can difficult to tell when a toe injury is serious or not so bad.

One of the most frequently asked questions among patients is how they can tell the difference between a broken toe or a toe that is simply sprained. As you’ll read, the answer isn’t quite black and white.

Broken Toe vs. Sprained Toe: The Symptoms

The best way to tell the difference between a broken toe and a sprained toe is to look at the symptoms of both. As you’ll see, both injuries have very common symptoms. Take a look:

Broken Toe Symptoms

• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Numbness
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Burning or tingling
• Stiffness
• Decreased mobility

Jammed Toe Symptoms

• Bruising
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Throbbing
• Decreased mobility

Although these symptoms are very similar in each injury, let’s take a look at the defining characteristics. In comparison of the two lists, we can see that bleeding is more common when a toe is broken. One of the clear signs that a toe is broken is extensive bleeding or the development of a subungual hematoma.

Ultimately, a broken toe will almost always produce symptoms that are more serious than a sprain. In either case, a self-misdiagnosis can worsen an injury, so if you have any doubt as to what kind of injury you are dealing with, call your doctor.

What To Do If You Have a Broken Toe

• Rest your foot
• Avoid any physical activity that causes your foot pain
• Ice your toe every 10 – 20 minutes
• Keep your foot raised to help with the swelling and pain

For Broken Toe Treatment: Call Alexander Orthopaedic Associates

At Alexander Orthopaedic Associates, we are passionate about restoring your health. If you are in pain or think you may have broken your toe, contact us.

Is Your Toe Sprained or Broken? — Goldsmith Podiatry

If you’ve hurt your toe, your main concern may be getting relief from the pain and discomfort, but at Goldsmith Podiatry, we know that it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis of your injury in order to determine the best course of treatment. Toe sprains and breaks can be difficult for a patient to differentiate the difference. That’s partly because they have several symptoms in common in addition to pain, including:

How Did the Injury Occur?

That’s one of the questions our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia will want to know. If a heavy object fell on your toes, a break is more likely because a sprain involves injury to the ligaments surrounding the joint. Many injuries, however, such as a fall, severely stubbing your toe or getting your toe caught on something while you are walking or running could result in either or both a sprain and a fracture. Turf toe, a sprain of the first joint in the big toe is a specific type of sprain that happens when the toe bends too far upwards. It got its name because it is a common sports injury among athletes who play on artificial turf. In most cases, in addition to physically examining your toe, the foot doctor will order a digital x-ray (which can be done right in our Upper West Side office) to confirm or rule out a fracture.

Treatment Options

Sprains are classified as mild, moderate or severe. Fractures can be completely through the bone or more of a crack, which is called a stress fracture. The podiatrist will determine a treatment plan dependent on the severity of the injury. In almost all cases, it will include rest, icing the affected toe or toes, compression and elevation. Sometimes a walking boot or crutches may be prescribed to keep weight off the injured toe to allow it to fully heal.

If you suspect you have a sprained or broken toe, contact our Manhattan office without delay by calling: (212) 877-1002.

Sprained Toes | Torn Ligaments | Houston Toe Pain Relief

Sprained toes are common injuries. When you have a sprained toe, you may still be able to move that toe and walk. But you should still see your podiatrist to make sure your injury heals the right way.

If you’ve sprained your toe, it means that you’ve caused damage to one of the ligaments surrounding your toe joint. This damage could be a result of stretching, twisting or allowing strong forces to impact the ligaments.

Now, sprained, strained and broken toes often present with the same symptoms. So important you understand the differences between these injuries. And you should always see your doctor for any foot and ankle injuries. Because you may need an X-ray to rule out a fracture.

Sprains, Strains and Fracture: Telling the Difference

As I said, sprained toes are injuries involving your toe ligaments. (Which are bands of connective tissue that keep your joints stable and your toe in one piece.)

Sprains are usually acute injuries that happen when you move your toe in the wrong way. Some sprains are more serious than others. So we grade them, and plan your recovery accordingly.

If you have a Grade 1 sprain. that means you haven’t torn your ligament. It’s just been stretched too much, so you should regain movement in a few days.

If your ligament has a partial tear, that’s a Grade 2 sprain, and you’re looking at about 8 weeks of rest and recovery. Finally, with a completely torn ligament (a Grade 3 injury) your healing could take as long as six months.

So if sprains come in all different grades, we now a strain isn’t a less serious injury. Instead, strains are muscle and tendon injuries. They hurt, but they don’t involve your ligaments.

And what about fractures? This type of injury directly impacts your toe bones. Fractures also come in different severity levels. They can range from minor, hairline fractures to more serious injuries. In those cases, your broken bones may actually move out of alignment. Called a displaced fracture, this type of break usually requires surgery.

Keep in mind, when you break your toe, you may sprain it as well. For that reason, when you’ve injured your toe, and you come into the office, we’ll carefully examine your toe. Then, we’ll go over all your symptoms. And we may order x-rays, to diagnose the full range of your injuries.

But before you even come in to the office, you’ll know something is wrong. Because your toe will hurt well after you stub or twist it. Wondering whether you’ve got a problem worth of making an appointment? Keep reading to learn the signs of a sprained toe.

What are the Symptoms of a Sprained Toe?

You may have a sprained toe if:

• Your toe hurts, especially when you walk
• You have difficulty moving the toe
• There is swelling, bruising, throbbing or tenderness

Top Causes of Toe Sprains

There are many different ways your toe could get sprained. But common causes include stubbing your toe, either against the wall or on the floor.

You may also sprain your toe if it gets caught on something as your walk or run, resulting in a twisting motion. If you trip, your toe may get bent backward, overextending the ligaments.

But I mostly see sprained toes with my athletic patients. It’s especially common with football players, who are very susceptible to turf toe.

Remember: a turf toe injury happens if your toe bends too far upward. We see it with athletes who play on artificial turf. Becauae pushing off on that hard surface takes a toll on your ligament over time.

Treating a Sprained Toe  

Once I’ve ruled out a broken toe with a thorough exam, I can usually give you a home healing plan. The key to getting better? I’ll suggest RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

Over the counter pain relievers can also help with the discomfort and swelling. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are best. In some cases, you may need to take all pressure off your toe, or it won’t heal. (But that’s usually when your sprain is severe. Think Grade 2 or higher.)

If that’s the case, I won’t leave you hopping around. Instead, I’ll provide you with a walking boot or crutches to help you through your recovery.

Of course, healing may take several weeks, or even months. But if you follow my instructions, you should be pain-free and back to your normal activities. And pretty soon, too!

Final Warning On Sprained and Broken Toes

Let’s review one dangerous foot myth: If you can move your toe,  or walk on it, it must not be fractured.  That statement is not, in fact, true. You may very well be able to move your toe, even if you’ve broken a bone. It will hurt, but you could still do it. Here are the telltale signs to watch for that suggest you might have a broken toe or foot:

• Immediate pain (throbbing)
• Swelling
• Bruising or Redness
• Tenderness to the touch
• Pain that is better when resting and worse when moving
• Change in shape of foot, toe or ankle
• Problems getting your shoe on or off

Here’s the important thing to remember after an injury. Even just one of these signs could be a sign you’ve broken a bone. And the only way to rule out or diagnose a broken foot, toe or ankle bone is to see me as soon as possible after the injury.

In my Houston podiatry practice, I offer in house x-rays. And, if you’ve broken a bone, you’ll get the highest level of care, with a far shorter wait time than in a hospital emergency room.

If you experience pain immediately after a fall or other foot injury, there’s a good chance that you’ve got a sprained or broken toe, foot or ankle. So make an appointment with us immediately, and we’ll get get on the path to a full recovery.

Stubbed Toe: What To Do When It Happens

Bang. Ouch. Did you hear that? That’s you stubbing your toe. A stubbed toe occurs when you least expect it; this pesky situation is bound to occur a few times a year. Even when we’re extra careful, it seems to happen on occasion. But you can stub your toe outside the house as well, whether it’s playing sports, or at work.

The pain is intense, your toe swells like a balloon, and the area is throbbing. What do you do? One thing’s for sure: you need to do something. Even it that means intentionally doing nothing at all.

What Classifies as a Stubbed Toe?

A stubbed toe occurs any time you jam your toe against another object. This is a trauma injury, meaning it’s a physical injury of sudden onset and severity. It happens at once. Whereas other foot conditions develop over time, like bunions, hallux rigidus, or plantar fasciitis.

Alternatively, you may stub your toe on itself. If you’re ever run around in sand, or barefoot on grass, you know what we mean. The latter is often known as turf toe, a sprain of the big toe joint resulting from injury during sports activities.

When you stub your toe, any one of the following may occur:

• Throbbing toe pain
• Swelling
• Bruising (including discolouration)
• Bleeding from the nail bed (subungual hematoma)
• Trouble walking
• Trouble comfortably putting on a shoe, or socks

There’s actually a reason why stubbed toes hurt so much. According to one doctor, it’s the nerve receptors that are damaged when you stub your toe. “Each digit has two nerves, one on either side,” Dr. Botek says. “So no matter where you hit your toe or how you stub it, it’s going to affect a nerve impulse from your toe to your brain.”

How Long Does it Take For a Stubbed Toe to Heal?

Recovery can vary depending on the severity of the injury. A hard and fast rule regardless of the extent of the injury is to follow the RICE method. RICE stands for:

• Rest. The one thing you should always do is the absence of doing anything at all. Take a rest. Take weight off your foot and sit down immediately. Avoid any strenuous exercise until the swelling and throbbing has subsided.
• Ice. Use an ice pack (no direct contact with actual ice to the skin) to reduce swelling. This should also help with pain management.
• Compression. Wrap your toe if necessary with a compression garment. This will help stabilize your toe, and reduce swelling.
• Elevation. Elevate your feet to above your heart, whether that’s lying down or sitting down with your feet up on an object. This will encourage blood flow and help reduce swelling.

Anti-inflammatories can also help lessen the pain, and reduce swelling. Additionally, you can use medical tape or bandage to wrap the affected toe with the neighbouring joint. This brace will help stabilize the toe (courtesy of its neighbour), and can prevent further damage through aggravation.

There are a few changes you can make around the house to make stubbed toes less likely. These include:

• Avoid walking barefoot
• Be mindful of “stub-worthy” objects, such as bed frames, floor boards, and chair legs, especially when you’re in a rush. Alternatively, cover the bottoms of the objects with something that would physically block you from stubbing your toe
• Wear closed-toe shoes
• Wear protective shoes if on the job site

If your toe is broken, a realistic timeline for recovery is 4-6 weeks. Whereas with a sprain, or a minor strain, you may look at a few days to 1 week of recovery time. With a sprain, or strain, the immediate pain from the stubbed toe should dissipate rather quick, and transition to a dull pain or feeling. With a break, you may experience uncomfortable pain for days, even weeks, as the bone heals.

Is My Toe Broken or Stubbed?

This is tricky because self-diagnosing a stubbed toe is difficult. There’s only one way to know for sure: get X-rays. That’s not always necessary however since non-fractures often heal on their own. Sprains, fractures, and contusions can all feel similar in some ways. The real indicator is in the length of experiencing symptoms. If pain and symptoms don’t subside within a few minutes, hours, or even days, then the likelihood of a fracture is high. After all, there are 14 bones in the toe. With sprains, and non-fractures, pain typically subsides, and will continue to do so if you don’t re-aggravate the injury. With a fracture, bone only heals so fast, so you may experience pain for a few days, if not weeks. Watch for severe discolouration, pain after a few hours, or a clear sign of a break if you’re unsure of whether it’s a fracture or a sprain.

Can You Break Your Foot by Stubbing Your Toe?

Yes, you can break a bone by stubbing your toe. In most cases, treatment for a broken toe and sprained toe are the same. The time for recovery is lengthened, and you will need to avoid strenuous activity or pressure to it. Your doctor may advise (or you can do this yourself) to use tape on a neighbouring toe to create a loose splint.

It’s not just your toe that’s affected when you smash it. There’s also the skin, and the toenail that you’ll want to monitor.

We’ve Got You Covered!

We’re confident in our ability to help inform you and solve your concern with the least amount of discomfort as possible. Got a question about your toes? Call us for whatever concerns you have, whether that’s a quick question or booking an appointment, and we’d be happy to point you in the right direction!

Call us at 416-769-3338 or Click Above to Book Your Assessment Today!

Is My Toe Stubbed or Broken?

Even though the furniture in your house hasn’t moved, and you most definitely know where it is, sometimes you end up running into it. Whether you trip over the umbrella stand, bump your hip on the dining table, or accidentally kick the coffee table, we’ve all been there. Hitting your toe is never fun, but sometimes, there’s real damage. How do you know it it’s simply been stubbed or if it’s actually broken?

What Should You Do?

It happened. You stubbed your toe. The familiar pain seems to shoot through every part of your foot, being at its worst in your poor throbbing toe. It’s so painful that you start envisioning the cast, x-rays, and various other treatments you’ll need to repair the injury. However, it’s important to know how to accurately assess the pain so you know whether you need medical assistance.

How to Tell the Difference

Stubbing your toe can be so painful that you might believe that it’s broken when it’s not. A stubbed toe might show signs of swelling or bruising, but there’s no further injury under the surface. A broken toe is much more severe, and often presents itself with more obvious and harsher symptoms. The consequences of a broken toe, especially when untreated, include prolonged pain or stiffness, infection, and/or deformity. Here are a few things to do when worse comes to worst.

Give it some time
When it happens, and for some time after, your toe will hurt no matter whether it’s stubbed or broken. However, while the pain from a stubbed toe will subside, a broken toe will continue to hurt for the rest of the day and even longer.

Take Note of Discoloration
A stubbed toe may result in some bruising or bleeding. If the discoloration looks unusually dark, if it lasts longer than a few days, or if there’s an excess of blood under the nail, your toe may be broken. If it looks abnormal, there may be something wrong.

Compare it to Your Other Toe
If it looks bigger, is a different shape, or a different color from your “normal” toe, then the issue likely goes beyond the surface level. Using your unharmed toe as a baseline will allow you to assess the severity of the change. If it’s crooked or stuck in a bent position (upwards, downwards, or side-to-side), it’s important to get an x-ray.

If You Think it’s Broken

It’s always better to be safe than sorry! If you have any of the above issues or suspect that there’s something wrong, schedule an appointment with us. In the meantime, it’s important to get off your toe and get some rest. Elevate your foot on a pillow and apply ice. It may require toe splinting, protective footwear, or surgery. A broken toe generally takes around 4-6 weeks to heal, depending on the severity and method of treatment which is required. Getting treatment before it gets worse is imperative, so don’t hesitate to call us!

If you believe that you might have broken your toe, or if you have any other podiatry-related needs, give us a call today! We here at Proactive Foot and Ankle Associates are happy to help ensure that you’re taking the steps to achieve healthy feet!

Can You Walk If Your Big Toe Is Broken?

A foot with a splint on a broken toe.

Image Credit: goodapp/iStock/Getty Images

Your big toe plays a major role in positioning your foot and maintaining your balance. This is why you really don’t appreciate its contribution until you injure it. Walking on a broken toe hurts every time your body engages it, which is why those who must walk on a broken tie are better off taking some protective measures.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

Pain, swelling or stiffness, especially when walking, are the primary symptoms of a broken toe. However, these are also the primary symptoms of a sprained or jammed toe. Unless the break is severe enough to mis-shape your toe, the only way to tell the difference between a break and a sprain is through X-ray imaging. Fortunately, the treatment for all three injuries is nearly identical.

Treatment

Medical treatment for a broken to focuses on minimizing pain and swelling, and on preventing further injury to your toe. Symptom reduction includes pain medication, anti-inflammatories and regular icing. To prevent further injury, “buddy taping” — taping the big toe to its neighbor – is a common fix for minor breaks and fractures. A serious break, the kind that results in a misshapen toe, might be put in a cast or splinted to help to restore natural shape.

Drooping Toe

One recurring problem with a broken big toe is that it will droop below the line of the other toes on your foot. This droop also puts it below the level you are accustomed to. This means that as you walk, your big toe is at risk of being stubbed and reinjured. Although this is true of all toes, it’s especially a problem for big toes because of their larger size and greater involvement in stabilizing your foot.

Can You Walk With a Broken Big Toe?

Put simply, yes….but you probably won’t want to. Between the pain and risk of reinjury, walking with a broken big toe will literally be a pain. If you must walk with a broken big toe, you should buddy-tape it to its neighbor and wear closed-toe shoes for added protection. If you have access to a cane or walking stick, using it can help protect your big toe from becoming too involved in helping balance and stabilize yourself as you walk.

90,000 How to identify fractures and dislocations | Signs and symptoms of fracture and dislocation

Different types of injuries require completely different treatment; a banal injury can hide serious tissue damage. And even the bruises themselves can have serious health consequences. It is very important not to delay the diagnosis and immediately contact a traumatologist.

What to do?

An x-ray will help determine the fracture. But if you get into a medical facility and make it impossible, you can focus on some symptomatic signs.

Signs of dislocation

• Severe joint pain,
• Impossibility of movement in it,
• Forced fixation in a certain position that causes the least pain,
• External deformation.

How to eliminate the dislocation?

Treating a dislocation with improvised means is a dangerous undertaking. The doctor should correct it, and the sooner the better.An old dislocation is more difficult to treat. The only thing that can be done is to provide peace to the injured joint, apply cold and call an ambulance.

Signs of fracture

Fracture is a violation of the integrity of the bone tissue. The signs or symptoms of a fracture are:

• Pain,
• Unnatural limb mobility,
• Crunch when pressed,
• Presence of visible fragments of bone,
• Swelling in the area of ​​injury,
• Symptom of axial load.

If you observe abnormal mobility and can even slightly bend the limb in a place where this is not foreseen by anatomy, then you most likely have a fracture. In case of dislocation, movement is completely blocked.

First aid

Fractures are often accompanied by lacerations, so there is a serious risk of tissue infection. It is necessary to stop the blood and apply a pressure bandage or tourniquet. Next, ensure the immobility of the damaged part of the body and apply cold.For severe pain, pain relievers can be administered. And go to the doctor immediately! Fractures and dislocations should only be treated by an experienced specialist using specialized medical instruments.

90,000 How to treat a bruised little toe?

A bruised little toe is a common injury to the musculoskeletal system that occurs when falling or hitting. The trauma is accompanied by pain, sometimes swelling and swelling. If you provide the patient with the necessary measures and first aid in a timely manner, complications that increase the recovery period can be avoided.

Symptoms of a contusion of the little finger on the leg

The little finger is most often subjected to blows and bruises, and is accompanied by sharp and severe pain, which immobilizes a person for several seconds. Severe pain occurs due to the presence of soft bone on the toe. Among the main manifestations of a dislocation of the little toe on the leg, the following can be noted:

• The onset of sharp and severe pain;

• The appearance of puffiness, which extends to the adjacent fingers;

• Increased pain when trying to lower the entire foot;

• Detachment of the nail plate, it may acquire a dark brown color;

• Mobility in the finger is impaired;

• The appearance of redness in the area of ​​damage;

• Sensation of pulsation in the fingers.

Symptoms may be of a different nature, some are faced with a sharp appearance of cyanosis and pain, an increase in the size of the finger. With such manifestations, it is imperative to visit a specialist, to take an X-ray of the finger to determine if the injury is accompanied by a fracture.

First aid for a bruised little finger

A severe bruise on the little toe is characterized by severe pain that must be immediately stopped by using first aid. First aid for a bruised little toe involves the following:

• If a bruise occurs in a shoe, you need to get rid of it urgently, trying to have a minimal effect on the injured little finger;

• A cold compress should be applied to the injury site, it can be either a cold bottle or ice wrapped in a towel;

• If severe pain persists, the patient should take an anesthetic, namely: No-shpa, Ketanov, Analgin;

• If, in addition to pain and limited mobility, there is a hematoma, sharp pain, cyanosis, it is necessary to urgently seek help from a specialist who will make the necessary examination and determine the presence of a fracture or other serious injury.

First aid needs to be given increased attention, because it depends on it the speed of recovery, as well as the level of pain during injury. If you have no idea what to do in such a situation, the only correct option is to seek help from a specialist.

How to distinguish a bruise from a fracture?

To find the right treatment, to eliminate pain, it is necessary to understand what type of injury is present. Let’s take a look at how to distinguish between a fracture and a bruise, and what points you need to pay attention to.

The painful sensations in the occurrence of both injuries are identical, the person requires the use of an anesthetic that will eliminate these manifestations. Differences will be observed only in external manifestations. If a bruise occurs, then only soft tissues are deformed, resulting in cyanosis, swelling, and redness. In the event of a fracture, the integrity of the bone is injured, which is accompanied by a complete lack of movement in the little finger, as well as sharp and prolonged painful sensations.

If, after receiving an injury, the patient does not seek help from a specialist, and observes pain manifestations for several days, we can say that there is a fracture or dislocation. It is possible to determine the exact nature of the injury only after taking an X-ray in a medical institution.

What should not be done with a bruised little finger?

In order not to provoke a complication in the event of an injury, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the rules that speak of forbidden actions for bruises:

• Warm up the damaged area;

• Rubbing your finger, this can lead to blockage of veins, as well as internal bleeding;

• Set your finger on your own, because it will cause even more negative consequences;

• Prescribe painkillers to yourself, not knowing all the consequences of taking.

At best, it is worth contacting a specialist for help, who will examine the finger on the spot, determine the pain syndrome and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Treatment with folk remedies

A bruise is not a long-term type of injury, but it also needs treatment. You can use traditional medicine, which are aimed at reducing pain, swelling, and eliminating the inflammatory process. Traditional medicine suggests the use of many means that have a positive effect on soft tissues, eliminating all the negative manifestations of trauma.Consider the best recipes for a bruised little finger.

• Onion compress. You need to take a fresh onion, grate it and stir with 20 g of sugar. The resulting gruel is applied to the little finger under the bandage for 2 hours.

• Oak bark and calendula flower bath. It is necessary to pour boiling water over the plants for 20 minutes, then add the resulting broth to the bath and lower the injured leg. You need to take baths 2 times a day until the symptoms disappear.

• Cabbage leaf applique. You need to take a fresh cabbage leaf and apply it to the surface of the damaged finger. On top, if necessary, apply a bandage for 2 hours.

• Cold compresses. Ice applied to the affected area will help relieve inflammation and swelling. The ice should be wrapped in a cloth and closed for a few seconds. Repeat 3-4 times a day.

• Plantain juice. From this plant, you can create lotions by using plantain juice.The damaged finger is soaked with it every 3 hours daily.

It is necessary to use folk remedies until the pain passes and other symptoms are eliminated. How long does a bruised little toe hurt? The duration of the pain depends on the degree of damage, in some cases the pain goes away after 2-3 days, in other cases a longer treatment will be needed, from one week.

Treatment of contusion with medicines

Medical therapy in the treatment of a bruise on the leg plays an important role, it is prescribed by a doctor, after examining the injury and determining the severity.Most often, the use of ointments and painkillers is prescribed, among which they note:

• Ketoprofen;

• Ortofen;

• Ibuprofen;

• Raciniol;

• Diclofenac.

These products are intended for external use, they are used 2-4 times a day for a week until the damage disappears completely. To keep the effect for a long time, you can add treatment with alcohol compresses, which in combination will give a good effect.

In some cases, doctors may prescribe the use of physiotherapy procedures that work more deeply on damage and eliminate pain. Among the procedures, we note:

These methods are carried out only under the supervision of a specialist who doses the effect, knows all the features of the manipulation. Recovery with medical treatments is much faster than with traditional medicine.

Rehabilitation after injury

Sometimes severe bruises require rehabilitation measures, which will allow you to quickly restore the impaired mobility.As a rehabilitation measure, fixing bandages are used that look like a part of a sock. The forefoot is characterized by a firm base, allowing a firm grip on the toes.

In addition to the fact that the patient must use this dressing daily, he is shown taking baths of sea salt, which will allow him to quickly restore mobility and eliminate any negative manifestations after injury. You need to soar your feet in hot water for at least 20 minutes, after the procedure, wrap them in a blanket or put on warm socks.

It is also worth paying close attention to shoes at the time of recovery. The toe should not squeeze the fingers, it should be soft and spacious. In the summer, open shoes are chosen; in the winter, you can take shoes one size larger. If the pain persists, you need to purchase orthopedic insoles that will relieve pressure on the injured toe.

Sprain or fracture? How To Treat The Most Popular Winter Injuries | Healthcare | Society

In reality, during the New Year holidays, visits to trauma centers in Moscow increase 7 times. Murad Barkhudinov, traumatologist-orthopedist at the Prima Medica clinic talks about the most common winter injuries.

Ankle injury

Minimal damage: sprains and tears of the ligaments.

Maximum damage: ankle fracture.

Symptoms: when the ligaments are sprained, the ankle area swells, swells and hurts. Pain – from aching to unbearable. Unfortunately, no analgesics relieve this pain.

The only way to make your life easier is to fix your leg. If the stretch is mild, your doctor will recommend an elastic bandage. In the case of more severe sprains, a plaster cast is applied.

With a closed fracture of the ankle, the symptoms are exactly the same as with a sprain.Except that the swelling may be slightly larger.

How to tell the difference: sprain or fracture? An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a traumatologist or surgeon after an X-ray is taken. Previously, you can find out if there is a fracture by gently pressing your fingers on the ankle to the right and left. If there is no pain when pressing on the protruding bones of the joint, then this is a sprain. If there is – even an insignificant one – it is better to jump on one leg (with the help of friends-relatives-neighbors) to the trauma center.

How to avoid injury: No way! The guaranteed way of prevention is not to leave the house. But seriously, try to keep a close eye on your step and avoid walking on the ice. Most often, the ankle joints are affected when we slip. Plus to this: choose shoes with a deep protector that maximizes anti-slip protection. If you have the habitual subluxation of the ankle, skip skating.

Coccyx injury

Minimal damage: contusion.

Maximum damage: fracture of the coccyx.

Symptoms: , as a rule, after cheerful jumps over trampolines on sledges or ice, pain appears in the tailbone area – from aching to unbearable. You can relieve pain with potent analgesics, but for a very short time.On average, on the fifth day of suffering, the patient goes to the doctor to understand what hurts there.

How to distinguish: a bruise or a fracture ? During my many years of practice, I have only twice encountered a tailbone fracture. It can be broken by sportsmen or road traffic accidents. Most often, winter skiing enthusiasts come with bruises of varying severity. The final diagnosis is based on X-ray results.

Treatment: There is no specific treatment for bruises.Try to sit less, the first two days after the injury, cold is recommended, then dry heat. In the event of a fracture, everything is worse: the tailbone cannot be adjusted and healed – the damaged part is usually removed. The operation is very painful. Long period of rehabilitation.

How to avoid: do not jump over the trampolines on ice and do not allow children to do so.

Mine-explosive injury

Minimal damage: 1st degree burn.

Maximum damage: separation of the phalanges of the fingers.

Symptoms: A noble desire to please family and friends with fireworks leads to the fact that the “ammunition” explodes in the hands, and it becomes impossible not to identify the symptoms of this injury.At best, the skin of the hands turns red and blistered. At worst, the “explosive” is left without a part of the finger.

Treatment: In case of burns, place the hand under cold water. After that, cover the affected area with an anti-burn drug (panthenol or any analogue). If there is no medicine at hand, you must send someone to the pharmacy and call an ambulance at the same time.

A burn of even 15% of the body can be an indication for hospitalization – if there is a danger of tissue infection.For example, if a burn has eaten into a burn, particles of a firecracker remain. In addition, if a large blister develops, it will need to be opened at the hospital.

If the phalanx of a finger is torn off, the first step is to find the lost part as soon as possible.

If possible, put it on ice, bandage the injured finger and go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Fingers in our country are able to sew well and efficiently. After this operation, over time, mobility returns to the sewn part.Yes, you won’t play the violin, but you can eat with a spoon and write with a pen.

How to avoid: There are usually two factors causing accidents. The first is cheap Chinese pyrotechnics. The second is the state of strong alcoholic intoxication of the “shooter”, from which the reaction slows down and everything explodes for some unknown reason.