A broken toe, also known as a toe fracture, is a very common injury, specially in athletes and those with active lifestyles. Out of the five toes (too known as digits of the feet) the pinky toe is the almost commonly broken toe with the fracture often occurring at the base of the toe.

Your toes make upward a portion of your foot referred to as the forefoot. Four of your toes are comprised of three basic called phalanges, and two joints. The large toe, even so, is made upwards of only two bones and one joint.

The three smaller basic, or phalanges, of the toes are the:

  • Proximal – os closest to the foot
  • Middle
  • Distal – the end of the toe

The big toe simply has the proximal and distal phalanx basic.

Types of toe fractures

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At that place are several ways to categorize your toe fractures:

  • Stress fracture – caused by repetitive action / overuse
  • Non-displaced – bones are cracked but have not broken apart
  • Displaced – ends of the broken toe accept separated completely or partially from the rest of the bone
  • Open fractures – peel is broken and the os is protruding
  • Closed fracture – skin is not cleaved and the bone is contained
  • Avulsion fracture – small chip fracture most commonly acquired past tendon pulling off bone

With the numerous pocket-sized bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your toes information technology can be difficult to place what type of injury you are suffering from. That is why it'due south and then important to run into one of our podiatrists equally presently as possible, so we can quickly identify your injury and forbid it from worsening.

What Causes a Broken Toe

Some of the virtually common causes of broken toes include:

  • Overuse
  • Stubbing or banging your toe confronting something difficult
  • Rolling your toe
  • Dropping a hard and/or heavy object on your toe
  • Wearing poor footwear
  • Osteoporosis

How to Tell if a Toe is Broken: Symptoms & Identification

Cleaved toes are some of the most common breaks of the human foot and are oftentimes marked by symptoms like:

  • Astringent bruising
  • Intense & throbbing pain
  • Swelling
  • Deformity
  • Difficulty walking
  • Toenail discoloration
  • Crooked & misshapen advent of the toe

Big Toe

Broken toes often occur in athletes and those maintaining active lifestyles; broken big toes (or "great toes") are especially common for these individuals. These breaks are often referred to equally "turf toe." Turf toe is acquired by excessive and repetitive pushing off of the big toe when making explosive movements (e.g. running & jumping), and can vary from a sprain to a broken bone with ligament damage. If you're experiencing astringent hurting from your big toe afterward athletic or strenuous activity you may need to be examined for a interruption.

Broken Toe Myths & Misconceptions

Although broken toes are well known, the handling of them seems to be clouded with many unknowns and falsehoods. Here are the mutual responses you should be skeptical of next fourth dimension someone tries to give you "advice" for your broken toe:

Should I see a doc for a cleaved toe?

"There's aught a doctor can practice for a cleaved toe." – Fake. This is non only untrue, but can be harmful. If a fractured toe is not treated promptly and correctly, serious complications may develop!

Tin can you lot motility a broken toe?

"If you can even so move it then information technology's not cleaved." – False. This is another harmful quondam wives' tale. Although it may exist possible to move and walk on your broken toe, yous should avoid doing so as this tin lead to even greater harm and prolonged healing time.

Should y'all soak a broken toe?

"Any toe injury should exist soaked in hot water or with Epsom salts immediately!" – False. If y'all suspect your toe (or whatever bone) is broken, hot water or any heat applied to the surface area can make it worse! Heat causes an increase in blood flow, which leads to more swelling and more pain. Instead, apply an water ice pack for a maximum of 15-20 minutes to help numb your toe and decrease swelling. However, it's important to non overdo it as too much ice may cause frostbite.

What to Exercise for a Broken Toe: Intendance & Treatment

Broken toes don't normally require ten-rays equally both broken and badly bruised/injured toes are oftentimes treated with the same methods.

Broken and injured toes are oftentimes treated through:

  • Ice
  • Residual
  • Splinting, known as "buddy taping," where the cleaved toe is taped alongside a neighboring healthy toe
  • Casting, if the toe has become confused
  • Wearing podiatrist-provided stiff-soled shoes to support the fracture
  • Hurting & anti-inflammatory medication

Fractures of the large, or great, toe are often more severe than breaks to the others. If the joint is disrupted or the bones have become dislocated, the toe may require surgery.

Improper or Delayed Handling

If your toe fracture is not properly handled, or treatment is delayed you may experience a wide range of consequences and side effects, including:

  • Motion limiting deformity & long-term dysfunction
  • Development of arthritis around the fracture
  • Non-healing & worsening of the fracture
  • Development of chronic hurting
  • Compound fractures & infection
  • Difficulty wearing shoes

Early test and treatment of whatsoever fracture is essential for proper healing. At Advanced Human foot & Talocrural joint our podiatrists accept extensive training and experience in the non-surgical and surgical treatments of any foot, talocrural joint, or toe fracture.

Once we place a fracture, we develop a treatment specifically for your injury striving to correct your injury non-surgically and only suggesting surgery when information technology'southward absolutely necessary.

If you're experiencing any foot, toe or ankle pain contact us today, and schedule an appointment at one of our conveniently located Center Tennessee locations.