Medication
A broken foot or toe may take 4 to 6 weeks to fully heal. However, in some cases, it could take longer. Recovering individuals should follow the RICE principle along with any specific instructions from their doctor. Follow-up X-rays or other scans to ensure proper healing and alignment may be needed.
Procedures
- Rinse the mouth with warm water or saltwater
- Apply pressure to stop the bleeding
- Use an ice pack to help reduce any swelling
- Take acetaminophen for pain relief (do not take aspirin, which could increase the bleeding)
- Avoid chewing on the affected side of the mouth
- Avoid hard foods like hard candy
Therapy
Here are some tips on healing a broken toe, from the team at Entire Podiatry:
- Use ice to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling as soon as possible after sustaining a toe injury. ...
- Keep off your affected foot as much as possible and avoid putting pressure on it. ...
- Consider taking an anti-inflammatory pain medication such as Nurofen. ...
Self-care
You can manage a fractured toe very safely yourself as long as it isn't your big toe, isn't crooked or out of line and there is no skin wound over or near the fracture. You should, however, see a doctor for your broken toe if: The pain becomes worse and isn't relieved by normal painkillers.
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How long does it take to recover from a broken foot?
What is the best treatment for a broken tooth?
What is the healing time for a broken toe?
Should you go to the doctor for a broken toe?
Do you need a moon boot for a broken toe?
Depending on the symptoms, it's generally suggested that a patient with a toe fracture wears a rigid soled shoe or moon boot for approximately 3 weeks before transitioning into roomy, supportive and enclosed footwear, such as runners. Most patients return to activities of normal living after 6 weeks.
Will walking on a broken toe make it worse?
Although it may be possible to move and walk on your broken toe, you should avoid doing so as this can lead to even greater damage and prolonged healing time.
How long do you wear a walking boot for a broken toe?
Your Care Instructions Orthopedic boots protect broken bones and other injuries of the lower leg, ankle, or foot. They prevent more damage and help the area heal. Your doctor may have you use a boot for 1 to 6 weeks.
How long should you stay off a fractured toe?
Broken big toe: 2-3 weeks in a walking boot or cast, then. 3-4 weeks in a stiff-soled shoe....Broken lesser toes, including broken pinky toe:Buddy strapping and use of a stiff-soled shoe.Walking when bearable.Usually healed completely within 4-6 weeks.
How do I know if my broken toe is healing?
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.
Can you bend your toe if it's broken?
After the injury, pain, swelling, or stiffness can occur. Bruising of the skin around the toe may also be noticeable. The toe may not look normal, and it may even look bent or deformed if the broken bone is out of place.
Should you keep broken toe taped at night?
Never tape the toes together skin-to-skin. Your broken toe may need to be buddy-taped for 2 to 4 weeks to heal. Rest and protect your toe.
Should I keep my walking boot on all day?
Although you should follow your doctor's advice in any situation, the normal practice is to wear the boot while sleeping. However, loosening the straps that secure the boot will increase wearing comfort and allow you to sleep better.
When should I wear my walking boot?
A walking boot protects the foot and ankle and is common when someone has broken their leg or foot, is struggling from shin splints or a severe sprain, or has suffered some other type of foot or leg injury.
What happens if you leave a broken toe untreated?
Broken toes that don't heal properly increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis or permanent nerve damage down the line. The right treatment with a foot and toe expert helps ensure your broken toe heals the right way so you can resume your normal activities without worrying about complications.
How serious is a broken toe?
Most broken toes heal well, usually within four to six weeks. Sometimes, a broken toe may become infected or increase the risk of osteoarthritis in that toe in the future.
Can anything be done for a broken toe?
Treatment. With most cases of a broken toe, there's little your doctor can do. It's mostly up to you to rest your toe and keep it stable. Even before you know whether your toe is broken, you should ice the injured toe and keep it elevated.
When Do You Need a Surgical Shoe for a Broken Toe?
When we're treating your broken toe , we may recommend wearing a surgical shoe. And there are a few factors we'll look at before making those decisions. Here are some of the questions we'll explore when choosing your foot wear after a toe fracture. It will depending on where the toe is broken, and which toe is broken.
How to speed up recovery from a broken toe?
Be sure to follow all of your podiatrist's instructions. From wearing a surgical shoe to resting or icing your broken toe , listening to your doctor should speed up your recovery. (Or, at the very least, not increase your healing time.)
Why are surgical shoes important?
The stable sole on a surgical shoe keeps your toe from moving too much. And this is important, because broken toes need to be immobilized in order to heal. Remember, don't get upset if you need to wear a surgical shoe. This treatment will actually leave you feeling more comfortable.
How many bones are in a broken toe?
You have 14 bones in your toe, and you may break one or more of them. The only way to confirm a fracture is with an X-Ray. That's why we offer in-office imaging. That way, your podiatrist can diagnose your broken toe and start treatment right away.
How long does it take for a broken toe to heal?
When it comes to broken toes, most bones will heal within six weeks. Now, if you have a hairline fracture, or a stress fracture, you'll likely heal faster. Or, if you had a displaced fracture treated with surgery, your recovery may last longer.
Why do you need an X-ray if you have a broken toe?
Because, the sooner we diagnose your broken toe, the sooner we can being treatment. In that way, we can take pressure off your toe. This will prevent any worsening problems and offer you pain relief while you heal. For that reason, you need a fast X-ray if you think you have a broken toe.
Is it painful to have a broken toe?
A broken toe can be very painful. While this injury is common, it can cause plenty of problems. There are many types of broken toes; some are severe, and some are less so. It's important to see your podiatrist if you think you've got a broken toe. Because the way we treat your injury, and the way we guide your recovery, ...
What to take for a broken toe?
You can usually manage pain from a broken toe with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Your doctor may prescribe stronger painkillers if the pain from your fracture is more severe.
How to stop toe from flexing after surgery?
Wearing a stiff-bottomed shoe. Your doctor might prescribe a post-surgical shoe that has a stiff bottom and a soft top that closes with strips of fabric fastener. This can prevent your toe from flexing and provide more room to accommodate the swelling.
What is the best way to heal a broken bone?
Immobilization. To heal, a broken bone must be immobilized 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 tape the injured toe to its neighboring toe. The uninjured toe acts like a splint.
How to reduce swelling in foot?
Elevation and ice can help reduce swelling and pain. Prop your foot up when possible so that your injury is higher than your heart. If you use ice, wrap it in a towel so that it doesn't make direct contact with your skin, and only apply it for about 15 minutes at a time, taking a break of at least 20 minutes between icing sessions.
How to prevent toe break?
Injuries and accidents are not always avoidable, but the following steps may help minimize the risk of breaking a toe: Avoid wearing non-supportive shoes, such as flip-flops. Flip-flops offer little support to the foot, which can cause unnecessary strain on the muscles and bones.
What is a broken toe?
A broken toe is often the result of a painful and significant event, such as falling, stubbing the toe very hard, or dropping an object on the toe. These types of breaks are known as traumatic fractures. Traumatic fractures can range from minor to severe.
What color is a bruise on a traumatic fracture?
Many traumatic fractures feature a visible bruise that is dark purple, gray, or black.
What does it mean when a toe is displaced?
A displaced fracture means the broken bone has moved out of place. This may occur with more severe traumatic fractures. A displaced fracture in the toe can cause the toe to appear crooked. In some cases, a displaced fracture may break the skin and result in the bone protruding out of a wound.
Why does my toe crack?
Without the support of the muscle, the toe bone becomes vulnerable to pressure and impact. Too much stress on the bone eventually causes it to crack. Symptoms of a stress fracture in the toe include: pain that occurs after activities such as walking or running. pain that goes away with rest.
Why are toe bones important?
Although the bones in the toes are small, they play an essential role in walking and balance. Their crucial role in everyday life means that a broken toe can be inconvenient and extremely painful.
Why does walking on a broken toe hurt?
Walking on the broken toe too soon can delay or prevent healing. This may cause pain for months or even years after the injury. Arthritis in the affected joint. A person may develop arthritis if the bone is broken near a joint in the toe and is not correctly aligned before it heals.
Where to go for a broken foot?
Preparing for your appointment. You will likely initially seek treatment for a broken foot in an emergency room or urgent care clinic. If the pieces of broken bone aren't lined up properly for healing, you may be referred to a doctor specializing in orthopedic surgery.
What do you use to fix a fractured bone?
Surgery. In some cases, an orthopedic surgeon may need to use pins, plates or screws to maintain proper position of your bones during healing. These materials may be removed after the fracture has healed if they are prominent or painful.
What to do if you have a displaced fracture?
Reduction. If you have a displaced fracture, meaning the two ends of the fracture are not aligned, your doctor may need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions — a process called reduction. Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you may need a muscle relaxant, a sedative or even a general anesthetic before this procedure.
What is the best way to see bone and soft tissue?
CT scans can reveal more detail about the bone and the soft tissues that surround it, which may help your doctor determine the best treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
What is a bone scan?
Bone scan. For a bone scan, a technician will inject a small amount of radioactive material into a vein. The radioactive material is attracted to your bones, especially the parts of your bones that have been damaged. Damaged areas, including stress fractures, show up as bright spots on the resulting image.
Why do they move your foot?
They may move your foot into different positions, to check your range of motion. You may be asked to walk for a short distance so that your doctor can examine your gait.
Can a broken toe be cast?
Minor foot fractures may only need a removable brace, boot or shoe with a stiff sole. A fractured toe is usually taped to a neighboring toe, with a piece of gauze between them. Surgery.
What to do if your toe is broken?
If you suspect it to be broken, you should rest it , ice it, and elevate your foot. For minor fractures, the doctor will most likely just buddy tape it which means taping the broken toe to the toe next to it. You can do this yourself at home. Good luck
What to do if you have a big toe fracture?
If the fracture involves the big toe, I’d also lean toward a boot or stiff-soled shoe. The big toe helps us to “push off” when walking so it takes a lot of force with each step. Buddy-taping helps for toes 2–5 (or 2–6 depending on your foot). Do put a piece of gauze in between the toes to absorb sweat.
How to heal a fractured toe?
Most toe fractures heal whether they are treated or not but just heal faster if you tape them and wear a stiff soled shoe. However it is good to see a podiatrist who has x-ray in his office because you do want to be sure that the bones are not displaced and that the cartilage is not damaged in the joint. A displaced bone might need to be reduced under local anesthetic where a doctor just numbs up the toe and manipulates the bone fragments back into position. It’s more serious if the cartilage is broken into the joint. This can end up with chronic arthritic pain even years after the injury.
How to tell if a toe is broken?
However, the only way to confirm a broken toe is with an x-ray.
What to wear when you have a fractured big toe?
If the fracture involves the big toe, I’d also lean toward a boot or stiff-soled shoe. The big toe helps us to “push off” when walking so it takes a lot of force with each step.
How to tell if you broke your big toe?
Continue Reading. The main signs to look for are pain, swelling, or stiffness following the injury. It may be difficult to walk due to the pain, especially with a broken big toe. This is because the big toe bears much of the weight of the body during walking or pivoting.
Can a Lisfranc fracture heal?
Not usually although I ended up with 4 Lisfranc fractures plus a tibial fracture during a syncopal episode that did require a boot. If you fracture your great toe it may not heal correctly unless it is properly splinted and immobilized which can result in a toe that deflects downward or upward which is problematic when walking and may need to be revised surgically.
How to fix a fractured toe?
What we will do for you 1 First, we will likely take an x-ray to evaluate the seriousness of the injury. 2 If a fracture is present we will make sure the toe is in the correct position to heal properly. 3 We will usually immobilize your toe using a special boot or shoe so that the toe will heal properly and so that you can move around without pain. We may also have you wear a special splint to hold the toe straight. 4 On occasion, the fracture is not aligned correctly and we will need to gently manipulate the bone back in place (we will always numb your toe first so that this process is painless). 5 On very rare occasions the fracture is bad enough that surgery is required to prevent problems such as arthritis down the road. Our goal is to treat your injury in the most effective, conservative and painless way possible.
How to get rid of a toe injury?
Avoid bearing weight on the foot until after the injured toe is evaluated. Stay off your foot as much as possible. If you must move around, use crutches if you can. If crutches are not available, use a cane and keep your weight on your heel. Most important, let us evaluate your toe as soon as possible.
How to get rid of a swollen toe?
1. Wear a walking boot. You will need a tall walking boot like the one shown, rather than a short boot, because the tall walking boot better immobilizes the the muscles that start in your leg and insert into your toes. You can purchase walking boots here. Even if you get the boot, see a podiatrist as soon as you can.
What to do if your toe is dislocated?
We will first take x-rays. If the toe is dislocated, in most cases we will numb your toe so you feel no pain and then gently redirect it back into place. In the case of severe dislocations, surgery may be required. When a toe is dislocated, the ligaments that hold the toe bone in place at the joint are torn.
What happens when you stub your toe?
In this situation the bone does not necessarily break, but the toe bones move out of place at the joint. You may see that the toe is abnormally sticking out to the side or up .
Can a fractured toe bone be treated?
Do you need to treat a fractured toe bone? Have you ever stubbed your toe and been told not to worry about it because “nothing can be done about a broken toe”? If so, you have been given horrible advice. All toe fractures can be treated and should, in fact, always be treated. A broken toe that is not treated can lead to long-term pain and swelling. If the fracture is near a joint it can lead to arthritis. Thus, it is imperative that every injured toe be evaluated for a fracture.
Can a broken toe be treated?
All toe fractures can be treated and should, in fact, always be treated. A broken toe that is not treated can lead to long-term pain and swelling. If the fracture is near a joint it can lead to arthritis. Thus, it is imperative that every injured toe be evaluated for a fracture. Make an appointment to see us in our Seattle office ...
How long does it take for a broken toe to heal?
Broken Toe Recovery. Most of the time, your toe will heal in about 4-6 weeks. But it could take as long as 8 weeks for more serious breaks. You’ll need to hold off on sports and other physical activities until your doctor gives you the green light. If you start those too soon, you might re-injure your toe.
How to diagnose a broken toe?
Broken Toe Diagnosis. First, your doctor will ask you what happened and what symptoms you’re having. They’ll check for tenderness and broken skin around your toe. They’ll also test your nerves and blood flow. Then, if your doctor thinks it’s a break, you’ll likely get an X-ray. Broken Toe Treatment.
What Is a Broken Toe?
A broken toe is when you break a bone in one of your toes. Each of your toes has three bones, except for the big toe, which has two. A break can happen when you stub your toe really hard or drop something on it.
What happens if you break your toe?
When you break a toe, you’ll likely have: 1 Pain and tenderness in your toe 2 Pain when you walk or put weight on your foot 3 Redness or bruising 4 Stiffness 5 Swelling
What to do if your toe is swollen?
You doctor may also give you a stiff-bottomed shoe with a cloth top. This keeps your toe from bending too much and allows room for swelling.
What does it mean when your toes are numb?
An illness that impacts the nerves or blood flow in your feet, like diabetes. Fever or chills. Intense pain under your toenail (possibly a blood buildup under the nail) Numbness, tingling, or coldness in your toe. Pain that gets worse or doesn’t get better with over-the-counter pain medicine.
How to keep your foot from hurting when you're awake?
For very serious breaks, you may need surgery to put in pins or screws that hold the bones in place. Keep your foot raised while sitting or lying down (above your heart is best) to keep the swelling and pain down. Put ice on your toe for 20 minutes every hour while you’re awake. That’s for the first 24 hours.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Preparing For Your Appointment
