What are the common symptoms of a broken toe. How can you treat a broken toe at home. When should you seek medical attention for a toe injury. What is the typical recovery time for a broken toe. How can you prevent complications from a broken toe.

Understanding Broken Toes: Causes and Types

Broken toes are a common injury that can occur from various accidents or impacts. The toes consist of small, fragile bones that can fracture easily when subjected to trauma. But what exactly causes a toe to break?

• Stubbing your toe against a hard object
• Dropping a heavy item on your foot
• Sports injuries
• Falls or accidents

There are different types of toe fractures, ranging from minor to severe. Most broken toes can be treated at home, but some require medical attention. Severe injuries may include:

• Fractures causing the toe to appear crooked
• Open wounds associated with the break
• Injuries involving the big toe

Is a broken big toe more serious than other toe fractures? Indeed, injuries to the big toe often require more intensive treatment due to its importance in balance and walking. In some cases, a cast or splint may be necessary for proper healing.

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Broken Toe

Identifying a broken toe is crucial for proper treatment. The symptoms of a broken toe can vary in intensity but typically include:

• Pain, often severe and immediate
• Swelling around the affected area
• Bruising that may last up to two weeks
• Stiffness or difficulty moving the toe

Can you walk on a broken toe? While it’s possible to walk with some broken toes, it’s generally painful and not recommended, especially if it’s the big toe or a severe fracture.

Differentiating Between a Broken and Bruised Toe

Distinguishing between a broken toe and a bruised toe can be challenging, as the symptoms are often similar. However, a broken toe typically causes more intense pain and may appear visibly deformed. If you’re unsure, it’s best to treat it as a potential fracture and seek medical advice if symptoms persist or worsen.

Home Treatment for Broken Toes

For minor toe fractures, home treatment is often sufficient. Here are some steps you can take to promote healing and reduce discomfort:

1. Rest your foot and keep it elevated to reduce swelling
2. Apply ice packs wrapped in a towel for 15-20 minutes every few hours
3. Take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen
4. Wear comfortable, wide shoes with a low heel
5. Avoid walking or standing for extended periods

How should you tape a broken toe? To provide support and reduce movement, you can “buddy tape” the injured toe to an adjacent healthy toe. Place a small piece of cotton or gauze between the toes to prevent skin irritation, then gently wrap medical tape around both toes.

What Not to Do When Treating a Broken Toe

While treating a broken toe at home, avoid these common mistakes:

• Don’t tape a toe that’s severely angled or the big toe without medical advice
• Avoid applying ice directly to the skin
• Don’t wear tight or pointed shoes
• Refrain from participating in sports or high-impact activities

When to Seek Medical Attention for a Toe Injury

While many broken toes can be treated at home, certain situations require professional medical care. Seek immediate medical attention if:

• The toe is pointing at an odd angle
• There’s an open wound or the bone is protruding
• You heard a snapping or popping sound during the injury
• You experience numbness or tingling in the toe or foot
• The injury involves the big toe

Should you go to the emergency room for a broken toe? If you experience severe pain, inability to walk, or any of the above symptoms, it’s advisable to visit an emergency room or urgent care center for proper evaluation and treatment.

Special Considerations for Diabetics

If you have diabetes and injure your toe, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly. Foot injuries in diabetics can lead to more serious complications due to reduced sensation and poor circulation. Early intervention is key to preventing potential long-term issues.

Professional Treatment Options for Broken Toes

When home treatment isn’t sufficient or the injury is severe, medical professionals may recommend various treatment options:

• X-rays to confirm the fracture and assess its severity
• Reduction, which involves realigning the broken bone
• Casting or splinting for more stable immobilization
• Surgery in rare cases, such as when bone fragments prevent proper healing

How long does it take for a broken toe to heal with proper treatment? Most broken toes heal within 4 to 6 weeks with appropriate care. However, some cases may take several months to fully recover, especially if the fracture is severe or complications arise.

Recovery and Rehabilitation for Broken Toes

The recovery process for a broken toe involves more than just waiting for the bone to heal. Here are some steps to ensure proper rehabilitation:

1. Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully
2. Gradually increase weight-bearing activities as pain subsides
3. Perform gentle stretching exercises to maintain flexibility
4. Use proper footwear to support the healing toe
5. Attend follow-up appointments to monitor progress

Are there exercises to help recover from a broken toe? Once the initial healing phase is complete, your doctor may recommend specific exercises to improve strength and flexibility in the affected toe. These might include toe curls, towel scrunches, and gentle range-of-motion exercises.

Returning to Normal Activities

The timeline for returning to normal activities varies depending on the severity of the fracture and individual healing rates. Generally, you can resume most activities within 6-8 weeks, but high-impact sports or activities that put significant stress on the toes may require a longer recovery period.

Preventing Broken Toes and Future Injuries

While accidents happen, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of breaking a toe:

• Wear proper footwear, especially during sports or physical activities
• Keep your living space free of clutter and tripping hazards
• Use caution when moving heavy objects
• Strengthen your feet and ankles through regular exercise
• Maintain good bone health through proper nutrition and lifestyle habits

Can wearing steel-toed shoes prevent broken toes in high-risk environments? Steel-toed shoes can significantly reduce the risk of toe injuries in workplaces or situations where heavy objects may fall on your feet. However, they don’t provide complete protection against all types of toe injuries.

The Importance of Bone Health

Maintaining strong bones is crucial for preventing fractures, including broken toes. Ensure you’re getting adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet, and consider weight-bearing exercises to improve bone density. If you’re at risk for osteoporosis, discuss preventive measures with your healthcare provider.

Long-Term Outlook and Potential Complications

Most broken toes heal without long-term consequences when properly treated. However, potential complications can include:

• Chronic pain or stiffness
• Deformity if the bone doesn’t heal correctly
• Arthritis in the affected joint
• Nonunion, where the bone fails to heal completely

Can a broken toe cause problems years later? While rare, improperly healed toe fractures can lead to ongoing issues such as pain during certain activities or changes in gait. If you experience persistent problems after a toe injury, consult with a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist.

Monitoring for Post-Recovery Issues

After your broken toe has healed, pay attention to any lingering symptoms or new problems that develop. Early intervention can prevent minor issues from becoming more serious. Don’t hesitate to seek medical advice if you have concerns about your recovered toe.

Understanding the causes, symptoms, and proper treatment of broken toes is crucial for ensuring a smooth recovery and preventing future injuries. By following appropriate care guidelines and taking preventive measures, you can maintain healthy, strong toes and reduce the risk of painful fractures. Remember, while many broken toes can be effectively treated at home, severe injuries or persistent symptoms always warrant professional medical attention.

Broken toe – NHS

A broken toe can be painful, but you do not usually need to go to hospital. There are things you can do to treat it at home.

Check if you have a broken toe

You may have broken your toe if it’s:

• red or bruised
• painful and swollen
• difficult to walk on

Information:

Do not worry if you’re not sure if it’s broken or just bruised, treatment is usually the same for both.

Urgent advice: Get help from NHS 111 if:

• you have a bad cut or wound after injuring your toe
• you have severe toe pain
• your child has hurt or broken their toe

You may need further treatment in hospital, such as a boot, cast or surgery.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

You could also go to your nearest urgent treatment centre.

What we mean by severe pain

Severe pain:

• always there and so bad it’s hard to think or talk
• you cannot sleep
• it’s very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress

Moderate pain:

• always there
• makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
• you can manage to get up, wash or dress

Mild pain:

• comes and goes
• is annoying but does not stop you doing daily activities

Immediate action required: Go to A&E if:

• you think you have broken your big toe
• your toe is pointing out at an odd angle
• the bone is sticking out of your toe
• there was a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of injury
• you feel tingling in your toe or foot or it feels numb

If you cannot get to A&E by yourself, call 999 for an ambulace.

What you can do about a broken toe

Doctors will usually suggest you treat a broken toe at home first if:

• it’s not your big toe
• the bone is not sticking out of your foot
• your toe is not pointing at an odd angle
• there’s no wound on your toe

Broken toes usually heal within 4 to 6 weeks, but it can sometimes take several months.

Do

• take ibuprofen or paracetamol for the pain and swelling

• rest your foot and keep it raised

• hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel on your toe for up to 20 minutes every few hours

• wear wide, comfortable shoes with a low heel

• avoid walking around as much as possible

• strap up your broken toe – put a small piece of cotton wool or gauze between your sore toe and the toe next to it, then tape them together to support the sore toe

Don’t

• do not strap up your toe if it’s pointing out at an odd angle or you have hurt your big toe – get medical advice

• do not put ice directly on your skin

• do not walk or stand for long periods

• do not wear tight, pointy shoes

• do not play any sports like football, rugby or hockey for 6 weeks or until the pain eases

• do not try to treat your child’s toe – take them to an urgent treatment centre or A&E

A pharmacist can help with a broken toe

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• the best painkiller to take
• what you need to strap up your toe
• if you need to see a GP

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

• pain and swelling has not started to ease 2 to 3 days after you injured your toe
• it still hurts to walk 6 weeks after injuring your toe
• you have diabetes and have injured your toe – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

They may send you for an X-ray to see if you need any further treatment.

Page last reviewed: 06 May 2022
Next review due: 06 May 2025

Broken toe – self-care: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Each toe is made up of 2 or 3 small bones. These bones are small and fragile. They can break after you stub your toe or drop something heavy on it.

Broken toes are a common injury. The fracture is most often treated without surgery and can be taken care of at home.

Severe injuries include:

• Breaks that cause the toe to be crooked
• Breaks that cause an open wound
• Injuries that involve the big toe

If you have a severe injury, you should seek medical help.

Injuries that involve the big toe may need a cast or splint to heal. In rare cases, tiny pieces of bone can break off and keep the bone from healing properly. In this case, you may need surgery.

Symptoms of a broken toe include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising that can last up to 2 weeks
• Stiffness

If your toe is crooked after the injury, the bone may be out of place and may need to be straightened in order to heal properly. This may be done either with or without surgery.

Most broken toes will heal on their own with proper care at home. It can take 4 to 6 weeks for complete healing. Most pain and swelling will go away within a few days to a week.

If something was dropped on the toe, the area under the toenail can bruise. This will go away in time with nail growth. If there is substantial blood under the nail, it may be removed to reduce pain and potentially prevent the loss of the nail.

For the first few days after your injury:

• Rest. Stop doing any physical activity that causes pain, and keep your foot immobile whenever possible.
• For the first 24 hours, ice your toe for 20 minutes every hour you are awake, then 2 to 3 times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
• Keep your foot raised to help keep swelling down.
• Take pain medicine if necessary.

For pain, you can use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).

• If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or have had stomach ulcers or bleeding, talk with your health care provider.
• Do not give aspirin to children.

You may also take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) for pain relief. If you have liver disease, talk with your provider before using this medicine.

Do not take more than the amount recommended on the medicine bottle or by your provider.

Your provider may prescribe a stronger medicine if needed.

To take care of your injury at home:

• Buddy taping. Wrap tape around the injured toe and the toe next to it. This helps keep your toe stable. Place a small wad of cotton between your toes to prevent tissues from becoming too moist. Change the cotton daily.
• Footwear. It may be painful to wear a regular shoe. In this case, your doctor can provide a stiff-bottomed shoe. This will protect your toe and make room for swelling. Once swelling has gone down, wear a solid, stable shoe to protect your toe.

Slowly increase the amount of walking you do each day. You can return to normal activity once the swelling has gone down, and you can wear a stable and protective shoe.

There may be some soreness and stiffness when you walk. This will go away once the muscles in your toe begin to stretch and strengthen.

Ice your toe after activity if there is any pain.

More severe injuries that require casting, reduction, or surgery will take time to heal, possibly 6 to 8 weeks.

Follow up with your provider 1 to 2 weeks after your injury. If the injury is severe, your provider may want to see you more than once. X-rays may be taken.

Call your provider if you have any of the following:

• Sudden numbness or tingling
• A sudden increase in pain or swelling
• An open wound or bleeding
• Fever or chills
• Healing that is slower than expected
• Red streaks on the toe or foot
• Toes that appear more crooked or bent

Fractured toe – self-care; Broken bone – toe – self-care; Fracture – toe – self-care; Fracture phalanx – toe

Alkhamisi A. Toe fractures. In: Eiff MP, Hatch RL, Higgins MK, eds. Fracture Management for Primary Care and Emergency Medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 16.

Rose NGW, Green TJ. Ankle and foot. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 49.

Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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What to do if you break your toe? – useful articles from specialists

Any fracture can have unpleasant consequences, even if we are talking about a broken toe. Knowing what to do when you break your toe can help you navigate a difficult situation. Read our first aid tips – and you will have a clear idea of ​​​​how to diagnose a fracture (let’s talk about its characteristic signs and symptoms), how it can be cured.

A broken toe requires immediate medical attention. Its treatment is long and complex. If you want to avoid a number of inconveniences (for example, difficulty in movement due to improperly fused bone), you need to learn how to determine the presence of a fracture in a timely manner. Improper treatment can cause loss of the former shape and flexibility of the limb. Therefore, at the first suspicion of a fracture, it makes sense to consult a doctor.

Broken toe: causes and symptoms

Most often, the phalanges of the fingers are injured when an object that is too heavy falls, due to a strong blow or accidental twisting of the leg. In some cases, fractures occur due to diseases such as osteomyelitis (bone infection), diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis.

Most fractures are stressful: a microcrack occurs that does not cause a rupture of the skin or displacement of the bones. Less commonly, comminuted fractures occur: the bone breaks in several places. Diagnosing an open fracture is easy: you will see the bones sticking out. Proper assessment of the severity of the injury allows the appropriate treatment to be determined.

The main symptoms of a broken toe include:

• visible swelling;
• unbearable pain;
• deformity of the phalanx;
• bruising, bruising;
• crunching when trying to move the leg;
• tingling, cooling, numbness;
• open wound with bleeding.

Having broken the thumb, a person cannot fully walk, because it is this finger that accounts for most of the body weight. A broken little finger does not make a person unable to walk. But in both cases, the pain will be palpable.

What complications are possible after a broken toe?

Do not think that a finger phalanx injury is a trifle. A number of problems arise after an injury. In the presence of a hematoma, removal of the nail is possible. In case of improper tissue fusion, surgical intervention is required: an osteotomy is performed to eliminate the deformation of the joints and bones.

In addition, there is a risk of infection if there is inflamed skin near a broken finger. The presence of redness, swelling, pus, as well as the softness of the tissues and fever are evidence of infection. In this case, antibiotics are indispensable.

In order to avoid the consequences of a fracture, you need to seek medical help from qualified specialists. Diagnosis and treatment of injured limbs is carried out not only by chiropractors and orthopedists, but also by osteopaths and physiotherapists. Specialists make diagnoses after examination and examination of x-rays. In some cases, computed tomography, MRI, ultrasound, bone scans are required.

Features of the treatment of broken toes

If we are talking about a stress fracture, then the first thing you will need to do is stop any activity, apply an ice compress to the damaged area (it will reduce inflammation and stop internal bleeding). Ice should be applied for 10-12 minutes every hour. Experts recommend keeping the injured limb elevated, it can be put on a roller from a blanket or pillow. Be sure to bandage the broken finger, connecting it to the adjacent one. For this, a regular medical waterproof bandage is suitable. The family doctor will recommend anti-inflammatory drugs. The next 5-6 days you will have to walk in shoes with a free toe.

With an open fracture, the help of an orthopedic surgeon is required. He will reduce the broken finger and apply a splint. You will need to use crutches for about 2 weeks. For walks, you will need to purchase special orthopedic shoes. Anyone who wants to quickly recover from a fracture should eat foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, magnesium, calcium, and boron.

Important point! Doctors almost always recommend a tetanus shot if you have an open wound.

Practice shows that the healing of broken fingers takes about 1.5 months. If during this period the problem is not solved, the doctor will take new x-rays and adjust the treatment. Only an expert can qualitatively assess the degree of bone healing.

Despite the fact that the fractures in question heal easily, the consequences should not be forgotten. You don’t want to get arthritis, do you? Do you want to be disabled? At the slightest injury, immediately consult a doctor.

Fracture of the big toe – how to determine the main symptoms and first aid

Fracture of the big toe is a fairly common injury that a person can get while playing sports, at work, walking and even at home. Pain sensations differ from the severity of the injury and its size. For example, if we are talking about a fracture of only one nail phalanx, then it is quite easy to overlook it or even confuse it with an ordinary bruise. And precisely because of the latter, a slight fracture can lead to quite serious consequences and improper fusion. We strongly recommend that, after a strong blow or injury, you can contact a medical center to rule out a fracture or start its immediate treatment.

Signs of a broken toe

Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, symptoms can vary greatly. With a crack in the phalanx, pain is practically not felt, and the victim may not even be aware of the problem, very often the bone grows without plaster and fixation. When the first phalanx of the finger is fractured, severe, aching pain is felt.

When the toes are fractured, the general symptoms are as follows:\

• a hematoma forms at the fracture site;
• possible hemorrhage;
• the skin turns dark blue, the skin swells around the damaged bone;
• severe and sharp pain on any attempt to touch or move a finger;
• unnatural mobility of the injured finger;
• inability to lean on the affected leg;
• immobility or partially limited movement of the finger;
• fever and redness at the site of localization;
• with a fragmental fracture, shortening of the finger is possible;
• with an open fracture, a wound with bone fragments;
• marked twitching or throbbing of the finger.

On physical examination, crunching of bone fragments is observed if a short time has passed since the injury. The crunch is the result of broken bones rubbing against each other. Finger fractures are combined with damage to the ligamentous apparatus, sprain and dislocation of the phalangeal joints.

How to distinguish a possible bruise from a fracture

A bruise or a fracture can be determined by several parameters:

• Pain syndrome features.
• Finger movement.
• Skin color at the site of swelling (contusion).
• Presence of hemorrhage.
• Phalanx shape.

The clinical picture of a finger injury is as follows:

• The victim has a sharp pain, which begins to subside with time. The nature of the pain is “aching”. Using a cold compress can speed up the process of relieving pain symptoms.
• When bruised, the finger is not deformed. Immediately after the bruise, all movements are accompanied by sharp pain (pulsation is possible), as the pain subsides, the motor activity of the finger is gradually restored.
• Depending on the nature of the bruise, the color of the skin at the site of injury may be dark red, pink, pale pink. Puffiness may appear immediately, after a day or not at all. The blood at the site of the bruise spreads diffusely (scattered), a bruise may appear.

How to diagnose a finger fracture

• On palpation, the pain increases sharply and does not go away for a long time (an hour or two).
• With a fracture, there is a sharp pain that can radiate to the nearest parts of the foot. Deformation of the phalanx, unnatural position of the finger. Bloating and strong (acute) throbbing at the fracture site.
• With a fracture, the victim cannot move the injured finger. At any attempt to stand on a sore leg, the patient experiences acute pain. To relieve pain symptoms, the affected finger is fixed in one position.
• Hemorrhages form under the nail, hematoma and edema appear, the skin becomes cyanotic.

First aid for a broken finger

If you have symptoms that indicate a possible fracture, there is no need to panic in the first place. First of all, you should call an emergency ambulance. Prior to the arrival of a physician, all the efforts of the victim should be aimed at stopping the bleeding (with an open fracture), fixing the limb and anesthesia of the injury site. To prevent negative consequences, the following rules must be observed:

• even in the absence of severe symptoms, you should not refuse to consult your doctor;
• limb fixation is one of the main stages of effective treatment;
• a broken finger must not touch foreign objects;
• fractures without displacement may not be fixed until the ambulance arrives;
• pain syndrome can be removed with the help of nimesil, analgin and ibuprofen;
• cold compress is another effective way to relieve pain.

It is important to note that when applying an ice pack, keep the compress for no more than 10 minutes to prevent possible frostbite. Repeated procedure is possible after a 3-4 minute break. Even if a fracture is suspected, experts recommend immediately contacting a specialized medical institution for qualified help.

Treatments for broken fingers

Name	Description
Closed reduction	This method is used for a closed fracture and no displacement. Antiseptic agents are applied to the injured finger, after which the doctor returns the finger to its normal position by mechanical action (pulling). A significant disadvantage of this method is the need to repeat this procedure.
Skeletal traction	This method is used for a displaced fracture. This procedure requires a metal wire, which is passed through the finger with a small load, which allows the bones to be in a normal position. At the end of the procedure, the doctor performs immobilization.
Open methods	The surgeon performs osteosynthesis. Fixes bone fragments with special metal elements.