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A toe fracture is a common injury that can be caused by dropping something on your foot, kicking something, or just severely stubbing your toe. You can hurt your toe without actually breaking it, so sometimes it’s tough to determine how serious the injury is. Luckily, there are several ways that you can find out whether or not your toe is broken.
Steps
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Assess your pain level. If your toe is fractured, it's going to hurt when you put your weight on it, or when it’s pressed on. You will probably still be able to walk, but moving around or putting weight on the toe might make the pain worse. [1] X Research source The presence of pain does not necessarily mean that the toe is broken, but persistent pain can be an indication of a fracture or break. [2] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
- If putting weight on your toe is excruciatingly painful, you might have a bad break. In this case, you should see a doctor right away. Minor fractures aren't as painful, and may not need medical treatment.
- Tingling in addition to pain could indicate a fracture. See a doctor right away. [3] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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Examine the size of your toe. Is it swollen? This is a common indication that you might have a fracture. If you merely stub your toe badly, it will throb for a while and then the pain will go away without swelling occurring, while a fractured toe is very likely to swell and have severe pain. [4] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source- Place the injured toe near the corresponding healthy toe on your other foot. If the injured toe looks much bigger than the healthy toe, you might have a fracture.
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Look at the shape of your toe. When you compare your hurt toe to the corresponding toe on your other foot, does it look misshapen or out of joint? If so, you likely have a severe break and need to see your doctor right away. A minor fracture may not change the shape of a toe. [5] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Check for discoloration. Fractured toes, unlike stubbed toes , usually end up with bruising and discoloration. This discoloration may go down to other parts of your foot as well. [6] X Research source
- If you can see that the toe bone has broken through the skin, it's definitely broken, and you should see the doctor immediately.
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Touch the toe. If you can feel pain when you touch the bone, then it is likely that the toe is broken. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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Know when to see a doctor. If the pain, discoloration, and swelling persist for more than a couple of days, you should go to the doctor. You will likely need an X-Ray to verify the break. In many cases, the doctor will tell you to stay off your toe and just let it heal . However, some severe breaks may require further medical intervention. [8] X Research source
- If the pain is so severe that you can't walk on the toe, see your doctor right away.
- If the toe looks like it's pointing in the wrong direction or is otherwise badly misshapen, see your doctor right away.
- Seek emergency services if the toe is cold or tingling, or it turns blue due to lack of oxygen. [9] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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Care for your toe until your doctor's appointment. Fill a plastic food storage bag with ice cubes, wrap it in a dishcloth, and place it on the injured toe. Do this in 20-minute increments, pausing for 40 minutes before applying ice again. Do this until you can get to the doctor. The ice will help reduce swelling and stabilize the toe. Keep your foot elevated as much as possible, and don't attempt to walk far on it. [10] X Research source
- Don't leave the ice in place for more than 20 minutes, as it may damage your skin if you leave it there too long.
- You can take an NSAID like ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain. [11] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Follow your doctor's orders. During your doctor's visit, the doctor will take an x-ray and then give you instructions on how to care for your toe. In some cases, the doctor will realign the bone. In severe cases, surgery may be needed to help with the healing process. [12] X Research source
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Rest the broken toe. Don't do the activity that caused the injury in the first place and avoid other activities that place pressure on your toe. Light walking, swimming, or biking may be fine, but avoid running or playing contact sports for several weeks. Continue resting the toe for the amount of time prescribed by your doctor. [13] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
- When you're at home, keep your foot elevated to help with swelling.
- After several weeks of healing, gradually begin using your toe again, but don't overdo it. If you feel pain or stress, take a step back and rest your foot. [14] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
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Change your bandages if necessary. Most toe fractures and breaks do not require a cast; instead, the doctor will show you how to " buddy tape " your broken toe to the toe next to it with medical tape and cotton wads. This keeps it from wandering out of place and getting reinjured. Ask your doctor or a nurse to show you how to properly change the tape and cotton every day to keep the area clean. [15] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
- If you lose feeling in the taped toes or they change in color, the tape is probably too tight. Remove it immediately. Ask your doctor for guidance in reapplying the tape.
- Talk to your doctor for more specific treatment instructions if you have diabetes. [16] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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Care for severe breaks according to your doctor's guidance. If your break is severe enough to require a cast, brace, or special walking shoes, you'll probably have to rest it completely for 6 to 8 weeks. Breaks that require surgery may have even longer healing periods. You may need to have several doctor's visits in the meantime to make sure it's healing properly. [17] X Research source
- Be sure to follow the doctor's orders when caring for a severe injury. Ignoring your doctor’s orders can cause an injury to take much longer to heal than necessary.
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Things You'll Need
- Ice pack
- Tape and cotton wads
References
- ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/foot-pain/toe-pain/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-toe/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24064-stubbed-toe
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/suspect-a-broken-toe-how-to-tell-and-what-not-to-do/
- ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/accidents-first-aid-and-treatments/how-do-i-know-if-i-have-broken-a-bone/
- ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-toe/
- ↑ https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/find-a-program-or-service/orthopaedics/foot-and-ankle-pain/foot-fracture-and-ankle-fracture-treatments
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24064-stubbed-toe
- ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-toe/
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000520.htm
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000520.htm
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-toe/
- ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/toe-and-forefoot-fractures
About This Article
Article Summary
X
If your toe hurts when you put pressure on it, and your pain is persistent, your toe may be broken. Compare your potentially broken toe to your healthy toes to see if it is swollen in size, misshapen, and/or an irregular color, such as red, yellow, blue, or black. If the pain, swelling, and discoloration persist for more than a couple of days, see your doctor to verify the break with an x-ray and get treatment. To get advice from our Medical reviewer on how to care for a broken toe, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I was pretty sure I had broken my little toe by hitting it against the leg of some furniture. This was because I had previously broken my other little toe and the new injury felt quite a bit like the earlier broken toe. This article helped me to confirm that I had quite probably broken my toe. I appreciated the pictures showing the swelling - my swollen area on the top of my foot looked very similar. My toe is also black and blue as the article indicated it could be. I'll see the doctor." ..." more
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"I was pretty sure I had broken my little toe by hitting it against the leg of some furniture. This was because I had previously broken my other little toe and the new injury felt quite a bit like the earlier broken toe. This article helped me to confirm that I had quite probably broken my toe. I appreciated the pictures showing the swelling - my swollen area on the top of my foot looked very similar. My toe is also black and blue as the article indicated it could be. I'll see the doctor."
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"Was running and my pinkie toe did the splits on my door frame. Yes, hurt like heck, and I knew immediately I broke something. Today is 2 weeks and I hurt like I cannot even say! Tylenol is not my friend. I think I will make an early appointment just to be safe. Thank you. "
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"This site was very helpful in treating my fractured toe I don't believe it's broken at all so I'm using the advice that was given to me and putting ice on it. I'm grateful for this site and the treatment that I received so that I would not have to go to the doctor. "
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"I'm going to follow the tips and use ice and elevation. If the bruising on my pinky toe doesn't get better and the pain doesn't improve over the next couple days, I'll get it checked. So while I'll be taking it easy, fishing is on the agenda."
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"I stubbed my pinkie toe really hard yesterday. It felt pretty horrible, but I can walk. It's a little sore, so I'm keeping it wrapped up and I'm using crutches. I used this article to confirm that my toe is not broken. Thank you very much."
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