A broken toe is a common injury that most often occurs when you drop something on your foot or stub your toe.
In most cases, a broken toe can be treated by taping it to a neighbouring toe. But if the fracture is severe — particularly if it involves your big toe — you may need a cast or even surgery to ensure that your broken toe heals properly.
Most broken toes heal well, usually within four to six weeks.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of a broken toe include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
When should I see my doctor?
Consult a doctor if the pain, swelling and bruising continue for more than a few days, or if the injury interferes with your ability to walk or wear shoes.
Causes
In most instances, a broken toe occurs when you drop something heavy on your foot or you stub your toe against something hard.
Risk Factors
Stubbing your toe, against a table, chair or pedal in a car can cause fractures.
If you have weak bones, as in osteoporosis, you are at more risk of minor injuries causing fractures.
Investigations
If your doctor suspects that you have a broken toe, he or she will probably order X-rays of your foot.
Other tests are rarely necessary, unless your doctor suspects you have an underlying condition, like osteoporosis.
Complications
Complications may include:
- Infection. If the skin is broken near your injured toe, you are at higher risk of developing an infection in the bone (osteomyelitis).
- Osteoarthritis. This more likely to occur in joints that have been fractured.
Treatment
Medications
The pain associated with simple toe fractures typically can be relieved with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen , or paracetamol . Stronger painkillers can be prescribed by your doctor if the pain from your fracture is more severe.
Reduction
If the broken fragments of your bone don’t fit snugly together, your doctor may need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions — a process called reduction. In most cases, this can be accomplished without cutting open your skin.
Immobilization
To heal, a broken bone must be immobilised so that its ends can knit back together. Examples include:
- Buddy taping. If you have a simple fracture in any of your smaller toes, your doctor may simply tape the injured toe to its neighbouring toe. The uninjured toe acts like a splint. Always put some gauze or felt in between toes before taping them together, to prevent skin irritation.
- Wearing a stiff-bottomed shoe. Your doctor might prescribe a shoe that has a stiff bottom and a soft top that closes with Velcro. This can prevent your toe from flexing and provide more room to accommodate the swelling.
- Casting. If the fragments of your broken toe won’t stay snugly together, you may need a walking cast.
Surgery
In some cases, a surgeon may need to use pins, plates or screws to maintain proper position of your bones during healing. This may mean you have to wear a short plaster cast covering the toes, foot and ankle for 2-3 weeks until the toes are healed and the pins can be removed.
Seeking Advice
If your toe is still sore after a few days, you should see your local GP.
Your Family Doctor (GP)
Your Family Doctor will be able to diagnose and help treat your problem. He or she will be able to
- tell you about your problem
- advise you of the best treatment methods
- prescribe you medications
- and if necessary, refer you to Specialists (Consultants) for further treatment
While you may initially consult your family doctor (GP), he or she may refer you to a doctor who specialises in orthopaedic surgery.
Bring along information about yourself
It can be a great help for your doctor if you bring along the following information about yourself
- A list of your medications, including the name and dosage.
- Information about your medical problems and past treatment
- Previous investigation results, such as xrays and blood tests.
Prepare a list of questions for your doctor
You may want to write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your symptoms
- A concise explanation of how the injury occurred
- Information about other medical problems you’ve had
- All the medications and dietary supplements you take
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
During the physical exam, your doctor will check for points of tenderness in your toes. He or she will also check the skin around your injury, to make sure it’s intact and that the toe is still receiving adequate blood flow and nerve signals.
First Aid
Ice can help reduce swelling and pain. Wrap it in a towel so that it doesn’t make direct contact with your skin, and only apply the ice for 20 minutes at a time.
You can also elevate your foot to help reduce swelling and avoid walking.
Rubbing and other forms of massage should not be attempted because they tend to increase swelling and make push the segments of bone further apart.