Sprained Toe Overview
A sprained toe is much less minor than a broken toe. The following information will help you define the sprained toe symptoms and treatment methods as well as how to make sure you don’t have a dislocated toe and how to prevent any sprained toe complications from arising. Treating a sprained toe means first knowing which toe is sprained and how the injury was caused.
Toe sprains are often caused by jamming your toe into something. This can occur from landing awkwardly after jumping, stopping suddenly and having your toe collide with the front of your shoe or simply stubbing your toe into something hard while walking. If you’re involved in vigorous activities such as soccer, basketball, or dancing your chances of spraining your toe increase, especially if the sport is new to you. Climbing, hiking and other outdoor pursuits over rough terrain can also contribute to a sprained toe.
Although home treatment for a sprained toe is generally effective, seeing a doctor can help to ensure that you are taking the right actions when healing the toe. Checking to see if the toe is broken can help make your next move easier. Sprained toe symptoms are often similar to broken toe symptoms including toe pain as well as swelling, bruising, discoloration and limited movement. Most sprained toes can be treated at home but its wise to make sure the toe is sprained before taking any definitive action.
As previously mentioned sprained toes can come from a variety of activities from a simple stubbing to energetic outdoor activities. The severity of the sprain can reflect the type of activity one has been participating in. Toe sprains are common among athletes involved in rugby, track, hockey and soccer as players often stop and start quickly putting high amounts of pressure on the toe.
Sprains can occur from sudden movement or too much pressure on one part of the toe which pushes the toe out of its natural position. Limiting unnecessary stopping and starting in movement and ensuring that weight is distributed evenly over the foot is key for preventing toe sprains. Walking barefoot over uneven terrain can often lead to sprained toes. If you like walking barefoot, minimalist shoes can help you achieve the same feeling yet protect your toes from strains.
The symptoms of a sprained toe are often very straight forward. Pain and tenderness, especially while moving the toe are common. The toe can also appear to be bruised or discoloured. If the toe looks slightly out of place, especially compared to the rest of the toes, it could be sprained but also dislocated or broken.
A sprained toe can often be hard to distinguish initially. Often when a toe is stubbed toe pain occurs and it simply takes time to ‘walk it off’ before a person can resume activity. Toe sprains differ in the fact that the pain will continue to linger in the toe after five minutes and any movement will likely send pain through the entire toe. Any pressure to lean or push off the toe is usually indicative of a sprained toe.
Pain and swelling in the injured toe joint will be the worst for 48 hours following the injury. Most toe sprains heal within a five days but severe toe sprains can last up to ten. There are more severe toe sprains that exist such as turf toe. Turf toe is a caused by acute inflammation of the dorsal and plantar tendons. It is characterized by swelling, redness and a restricted range of motion that can last from weeks to months.
How to Treat a Sprained Toe
If the sprained toe is minor, treating it at home is usually a viable option however it is smart to seek the guidance of a licensed medical professional before continuing as to prevent any sprained toe complications from arising as well to ensure that the toe is not broken and only sprained. One of the best ways for helping a sprained toe to heal at home is to follow the R.I.C.E. formula.
Rest: If your toe is injured it makes sense to avoid exercise and movement including walking and even standing as these actions can cause toe pain. There will be circumstances where you may be required to move in your day to day activities, but minimizing movement or using crutches can help to alleviate any unnecessary pressure on the sprained toe which leads to a faster recovery.
Ice: Putting ice on the sprained toe area slows inflammation and reduces swelling around the injury. Helping to soothe the inflammation helps to reduce some of the pain in the toe and can speed recovery. Pain is also relieved when the ice numbs the sore toe tissues and reduces reactions that might occur between the nerves in the toe. As the ice is applied, the blood veins contract which reduces circulation to the injured toe area. When the ice is removed the veins overcompensate by widening which leads to a rush of nutrients in the blood being brought to the injured area to help recovery.
An icepack, plastic bag filled with ice or even a bag of frozen peas or corn can be used for this step. One should apply a thin towel between the skin and ice to protect the skin. Icing should then be done for periods of 20 minutes every two to three hours for the first few days following the injury.
Compression: The smaller toes may be hard to apply compression to and this step may be unnecessary. Lightly compressing the big toe (which is the most often injured) can help the toe recover, but don’t overdo it. Although compressing can help limit the swelling, it can also delay healing which is not beneficial for your long term foot health.
Elevation: Elevating the toes is a smarter method to reduce swelling in the injured area. Reducing the blood flow to the toes will help the swelling to decrease and limit the amount of pain you are able to feel. Elevating the foot and toes will give your body time to rest and avoid extra pressure on the injured areas.
Protective shoes that limit toe movement and prevent stubbing can help to minimize the risk of aggravating the toe injury or causing an increase in toe pain. Over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, naproxen, Tylenol and aspirin can be taken to reduce inflammation and pain while the toe heals.
Seeking a toe doctor is always a good idea when you’re unsure about the nature of your injury. If you have never injured your toe, differentiating between a broken toe, sprained toe and dislocated toe is the job of a medical professional. X-rays or in rare cases MRIs can be used to distinguish the nature of the injury.
After reviewing the injury a doctor will ask about the cause and symptoms of the injured toe to be able to diagnose the toe injury. Based on this information the doctor may send you home for home treatment or, in rare cases where necessary, buddy tape the toe to help limit movement and increase healing speed.
After the diagnosis you may be given sprained toe exercises that are designed to increase the flexibility and movement of the toe while enhancing the recovery process to restore the toe to its natural ability. For more serious sprains including turf toe the doctor may prescribe different exercises and/or a longer rest period in order to let the toe recover fully before continuing with activity.
In order to help bring the sprained toe back into normal condition some exercises have been provided to help speed recovery:
Sprained Toe Exercises
Vertical Toe Raise: Placing your hands between two solid positions at waist level as support, carefully lever weight onto the injured foot. Press into the ground the injured toes raising yourself away from the ground until the point of pain. Hold this position for five seconds while supporting yourself with your hands and then slowly release back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 12 times two to three times per day.
Horizontal Toe Press: Press your injured foot against a wall with the tip of toes just touching the wall. Place your injured leg behind you and place your hands on the wall for support. Carefully lever the toes onto the wall and slowly apply pressure downwards stretching your toes until the point of pain. Hold this position for five seconds while supporting yourself with your hands and then slowly release back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 12 times two to three times per day.
Vertical Toe Press: Placing your hands between two solid positions at waist level as support, carefully lever weight onto the injured foot. Curl the toes behind you and press into the ground the injured toes until the point of pain. Hold this position for five seconds while supporting yourself with your hands and then slowly release back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 12 times two to three times per day.
These exercises should be done with caution and in a gentle manner. They are designed to rehabilitate the muscle back to the toe’s normal state of being, not to add significant strength to the sprained toe. If you have recovered from a sprained toe, it is wise to keep performing these exercises for a week after the injury to increase the range of motion in the toe and prevent a reoccurring injury.
Although it is tough to prevent a sprained toe, acting with caution and ensuring no unnecessary strain is placed on the toe can significantly lower the chances of a sprained toe. Sprained toes usually result from overuse and trauma which cab hard to avert but being vigilant and watching for any signs of potential danger can help limit toe injuries in the future.
If you’ve injured your toe in the past try buddy taping the toe before using it again to prevent hyperextension or overuse. Wearing protective shoes and using sprained toe rehabilitation exercises can help speed the recovery of a toe injury.
Remember it’s wise to seek the guidance of a medical professional to know if you have a sprained toe, broken toe or dislocated toe so that the proper course of action can be taken. The symptoms for these injuries can be very similar, distinguishing between the injuries will alter your course of treatment.
Sprained toes, especially turf toe can more debilitating then the names might imply. Exercising caution and smart limitations when resuming normal day activities is important. Making sure to always monitor for warning signs and taking the proper precautions will lead you on a path to full recovery, and that goes for more than just your toes.