What is the Treatment for a Broken Toe?
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If you think you have a broken toe, you should see a doctor. A badly broken toe can cause serious issues, and may require resetting, or in some cases a special shoe or casting in order to help the toe properly heal. However, frequently, doctors do not cast the foot, and the toe does not require resetting. In these cases, you may simply have to live with the pain of a broken toe for several weeks.
Some simple home treatments for a broken toe can help reduce pain. First, as much as possible, minimize standing or walking. If walking or standing proves very painful, consider renting or purchasing crutches or a cane to minimize the weight one has to put on the toe.
Also plan to wear comfortable shoes with a wide toe box. Do not wear high heels if you have a broken toe, since much of the weight of the body is distributed onto the toes. This is likely to result in quite a bit of pain, and may lengthen the time it takes for the broken toe to heal. Covered shoes are often a better choice than sandals because they provide a little extra toe protection. However, some people prefer to wear a sandal because it feels more comfortable.
During the first week after you have been diagnosed with a broken toe, ice the toe 15-20 minutes every one to two hours to minimize swelling. Keeping the foot with the broken toe elevated may also keep swelling down.
When sleeping at night, the foot with the broken toe should be propped up on pillows to continue elevation. Many people find it is most comfortable to sit in a recliner, which helps stabilize the foot and keeps it elevated. Others may use a chaise lounge, or an ottoman. However, when possible, the broken toe should be elevated to above chest level.
Prior to beginning exercise again, check back with your doctor. A broken toe can take a while to heal, up to six weeks. Some have residual pain after this time. It’s important to ascertain whether this pain is the result of damaged nerves or ligaments around the toe, or a failure of the broken toe to heal properly. The doctor will probably want to verify by x-ray that one can use the toe for strenuous exercise.
It is especially important for people with diabetes to have any breaks in the feet overseen by a doctor. Foot infections are quite common in diabetics and injuries can result in severe complications. A diabetic may require antibiotics or other treatments to avoid infections.
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16
Your advice and sugestions pretty much jives with what my doctor told me. I broke my baby toe while on vacation in Kauai. I was on a tour of the Na Pali coast and the seas were very rough. I stumbled trying to get to the side to watch my husband snorkle. Ha! Ha! I know, things always seem to happen while on vacation. My advice, always go to the doctor. There are many variations of a broken toe which require different forms of treatment. Mine was mild; they just taped my last two toes and I have to stay off of it as much as possible. - anon43881
15
Anon17662, yes it can take up to 6 weeks even more for a broken toe and all the soft tissue damage to heal. Even longer if you start walking on it while hurt. Every time you feel it hurt you're doing a little bit of damage.
I broke my baby toe, stubbed it on the square foot of a sofa and when I looked down my baby toe was basically pointing out the side of my foot so I pushed it back and heard/felt a crack so I don't know if it broke on the way out or if I broke it pushing it back. In any case it's been 4 weeks now and it still hurts. There is a little swelling I think but no more bruising. My whole foot bruised up (well I think just blood pooling inside my foot between my other toes. When I set my foot on the floor my baby toe sort of lifts up and cannot touch like the other toe (I hope it's swelling, my therapist says it's just swelling and it can take a very long time to heal). I mostly always wear socks but that day I was just running around with my nieces and nephews in bare feet, then bam! Had I been wearing socks I probably would have only stubbed my toe. In any case good luck to you all. I can't believe how much a broken baby toe can disable you. I sprained my ankle on the same foot last year, couldn't walk normally for a couple of months. My broken baby toe caused me to walk in a little bit giving me some ankle discomfort every now and then. But should be okay. I try to walk properly so I don't add uneeded stress on my ankle or other joints. I'm able to move just my baby toe and I try to excercise it every once and a while to try to strengthen it. I hope it to be fully healed within the next 4 weeks. But I'm working and walking so it could be a little longer. - anon40647
14
I stubbed my little toe on a chair leg two weeks ago and assumed it was sprained because although it swelled a little, it looked normal and wasn't even black and blue. I taped it to the next toe. A week later, when the rest of my foot started hurting from favoring the two, I saw a podiatrist. My toe is broken. The doc gave me a special shoe to wear and said I could walk on it. I've been trying to keep off of it for a week, but walking is very uncomfortable for the rest of my foot and my ankle because of not being able to walk normally in that shoe. I have another doc appointment tomorrow and hope he'll tell me I'm getting better. What a lot of trouble for such a little toe. I would recommend seeing a doc and also looking into Arnica. It helps a lot. - anon40603
13
I hurt my toe yesterday, later to find out it broken today. My mom doesn't think I should go to the hospital because she said all they're going to do is tape it to the other toe. - anon39243
12
I broke my fourth toe in early May and went to a doctor about it. He taped it to the toe next to it, and offered me an orthopedic shoe to wear. It hurt a lot at the beginning, but after a week or so of trying not to walk on it, it felt a lot better.
That said, it's more than 2 months later, and it still hurts if I bump it against something. It looks a lot more crooked now too. - cary
11
i broke two of my toes in two places by putting it through a shop window.. i am also a goalkeeper for a very good county side and thank god i done it at the end of season... it has been nearly 3 months and the swelling and has only just started to go, but raving and knocking it and having a dog jump on ur toes in the healing process didnt help lol - anon37905
10
i broke my big toe on my right foot anout 3 months ago by playing soccer with no shoes on turf. i was sprinting when i tripped and put my weight on my foot when my toe caught. it was extremely painful and sensitive to touch for about a 4 weeks. i did not use crutches or anything. i just iced it and toughed it out. but last night i was running upstairs and fell again catching my toe. i dont think it is broken. it does not look purple all down the bone onto my foot but i have a big soccer game to play tonight in which i am the goalie. haha sucks for me. i can barely walk - anon36065
9
i was walking into my kitchen and i jammed my toe against the wall so bad and i was crying and that was about a weak ago and my mom doesnt belive it is broken but she said the same thing when i broke my wrist. but its the toe next to my pinkey toe and its starting to bruise and hurts sooooo bad when i walk. help please! - anon35512
8
I broke my toe recently as well, it has not been very painful just a strange burning sensation occasionally that is rather intense. Other than that it feels like a cut to the bottom of the toe. I'm a little worried because i managed to get a copy of the x-rays and they show the bone fragments are about 45 degrees off and all i was told to do is tape it to the next toe and keep weight off it.Also anon16097 if your job won't let you take time off they should have assigned you to work where you don't have to stand all day. If my job told me to do that I would be contacting the labor board, and if they persisted a lawyer. Part of the treatment for a broken toe is to keep weight off it. My doctor even offered to write a note stating as much. - anon33589
7
i broke my pinky toe on wednesday morning in gym class. i went to the doctor and it was broken with displacement. it had to be reset. i have to wear a boot, but i'm not sure for how long. i keep it elevated after school and iced every hour for about 20 minutes. it is very painful. i am a dancer and have competitions soon.does anyone know how many weeks it will take me to heal? - anon28701
6
I broke my big toe by carrying a heavy table across a room and then it flipped over and the table top side fell on my toe. The doctors gave me crutches to use. i used them even at school. It's not really good to put a lot of weight on it, I learned. It's been after 6 weeks I believe but my toe is rather red and hurts a little if the top hits something or if i tap it by accident. oh well. - anon24126
5
I believe I broke my toe on the new year of this year (09) and tomorrow (Thursday) it will be a week. I was playing soccer in my room and ran into my bedpost. It turned red and was very swollen after the fact. Now it changes from red to purple frequently and it swells up every once and a while. Can you tell me if it is broken because I would like to do as much as possible to make it heal, if so or not can you give me some tips for healing. I don't know if my age matters but I am 13, so if you could let me know if you think it is broken, that would be great. Oh, also I have attended a soccer practice (Monday (1hr.)) and I did play, but it hurt very much. I will also be attending one tonight. Then playing in 3 3v3 games (12 min. halfs) and possibly up to 5. I will do this even if my pinky toe and the toe next to it are broken just let me know how long it will take to heal after that. I will also playing in a similar 3v3 on the 24th of January and possibly attend a sleepover bday party that I could not miss. I will also attend a 3v3 on Febuary 1st. Let me know please! - anon24081
4
I believe I broke my toe, because I twisted it about 480 degrees and I can barely walk, how long do you think it'll take to heal? - Blackmore
3
Hi I think I broke my little toe about 3 - 4 weeks ago. I hit in on the side of a wooded structure while falling off my bike. I never went black and blue but throbs a lot and is painful to wear shoes. Not so bad in barefeet. My only concern now is it is still swollen and red. Is this normal after almost 4 weeks?
- anon17662
2
on breaking my little toe, i was informed by my work place that i couldn't take any days off sick as i could still walk... i am on my feet 12 hours a day at work with tight fitting shoes and it is so painful. so if you ever break your toe, take time off work if possible. - anon16097
1
Sometimes just wearing a really thick sock around for a while to protect the toe can do it. It's hard to put splints or casts or anything on toes, so that might be the best bet. - solomonh
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Written by
Tricia Ellis-Christensen
Last Modified: 02 September 2009
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