5 Things You Need to Know About a Broken Toe

1. Fractured Silence

If you've ever stubbed your toe on a piece of furniture, you know how painful it can be. You're frozen momentarily with shock and afraid to look down at your foot. In just that second, you could have broken your toe. Any one of the several bones in the foot can fracture due to injury or trauma (traumatic fracture) or continuous repetitive movements (stress fracture). Stress fractures are also caused by osteoporosis, wearing the wrong shoes or a foot deformity.

2. Don't Stress Yourself

Traumatic toe fractures make a sound when they break. The pain is immediate and can last for hours after the initial injury. The toe becomes bruised, swollen and may look crooked or deformed. It hurts to walk and wear shoes. A stress toe fracture has swelling, but doesn't bruise. The pain associated with this type of fracture only occurs during activity. The pain abates once you're off your feet.

3. Brace for Recovery

To treat your broken toe at home, rest it, ice it and elevate it. Stay off your feet whenever possible and do not stand or walk for long periods of time. Apply ice every couple of hours for approximately 20 minutes each time. Keep your foot elevated higher than your heart to cut down on swelling. Take Tylenol or Motrin for the pain. A cast isn't normally required. In buddy taping, the broken toe is taped to the toe next to it for stability. Special thick-soled shoes can be worn for support. If the pain worsens, your toe feels numb or starts tingling, seek medical care. If your toe bleeds upon injury or there is an open wound, get help immediately. Your doctor can put your toe bone back in place and apply a cast or splint to keep the toe in place.

4. Break Out

Possible complications of a broken toe include an open fracture or injury to the toenail. In some cases, the broken bone breaks through the skin. This open fracture must be cleaned and treated. Surgery may be needed to repair the damage. Blood can pool under the nail if it is hit hard enough. A tiny hole is cut in the nail for draining or the toenail is removed.

5. A Disjointed Feeling

It takes about six weeks for the toe to heal. Long-term effects of a broken toe are arthritis, stiffness, chronic pain and deformity. The toe may not heal properly (malunion) or even heal at all (nonunion). Surgery is then performed as a corrective measure.