"Turf toe" is a term used to describe a sprain that occurs in the joint at the base of your big toe. It frequently appears in football players and other athletes who perform frequent jumping or cutting motions. The severity and specific type of injury and symptoms associated with turf toe varies from individual to individual.
Turf Toe Basics
Turf toe gets its name because it frequently appears in football players and other athletes who regularly perform on artificial turf. More than athletes who play on natural grass surfaces, those who play on man-made turf have a tendency to "stick" their feet abnormally when they perform various movements. This unusual jamming of the big toe joint can deflect the toe upward, causing an injury called hyperextension. If jamming occurs when the toe is curled outward or downward, it can cause another type of injury called hyperflexion. In some cases, the onset of turf toe appears to be related to wearing shoes that flex too much during use.
Symptoms
Football players at all positions are susceptible to turf toe. The injury typically results in symptoms that include pain, inflammation and narrowed range of motion in your affected joint. In some cases, turf toe develops gradually from the application of repetitive joint stress. In other cases, it develops rapidly or immediately from direct injury to the bone itself. Symptoms from repetitive stress usually build up slowly over time, while symptoms from direct injury frequently worsen significantly within a single day.
Treatment
Non-professionals frequently treat turf toe with the R.I.C.E. protocol, which involves rest; the application of ice or another source of cold; the use of compression bandages at the injury site; and elevation of the injury above the level of the heart. While football players can treat also treat their injuries with ice or with ultrasound devices, they typically forego rest and continue to play despite the presence of turf toe. However, certain injuries associated with turf toe can sideline a football player, including a bone fracture and cartilage or ligament tears.
Considerations
If a football player gets turf toe and doesn't protect his foot while the injury heals, he significantly increases his risks for the development of a broken foot or a stress fracture. Methods used to prevent the worsening of an existing turf toe injury include reinforcement of the player's shoe with a thin plate of steel and the use of firmer shoes that flex less during game conditions. In severe cases, the treatment of turf toe-related damage may require surgical repair.
