How to Know if Your Toe Is Broken

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Two Parts:Examining the ToeCaring for a Broken ToeCommunity Q&A

Do you feel like your toe might be broken, but you're not sure? Fracturing a toe is a common injury that can be caused by dropping something on your foot, getting injured, or even stubbing your toe really hard. Most toe fractures heal on their own with little treatment, but in some cases, you might need to see a doctor. Assessing whether your toe is broken can help you determine whether a trip to the doctor is necessary.

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Steps

Part 1

Examining the Toe

1. 1

   Assess your pain level.

   If your toe is fractured, it's going to hurt when you put your weight on it, or when pressed on. You will probably still be able to walk, but moving around might make the pain worse. 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.

   ^[1]

   • 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.

2. 2

   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 awhile and then the pain will go away without swelling occurring. A fractured toe is very likely to swell.

   • 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.^[2]

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   Check for discoloration.

   Fractured toes, unlike stubbed toes, usually end up with bruising and discoloration. Your toe may look red, yellow, blue, or black. In addition, it may bleed. All these are indications that the toe may be broken.

   • If you can see that the toe bone has broken through the skin, it's definitely broken, and you should see the doctor immediately.

5. 5

   Touch the toe. If you can feel the bone moving inside, or if any movement in the toe feels odd (in addition to feeling painful!), then it is likely that the toe is broken.

6. 6

   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.

   • 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. ^[3]

Part 2

Caring for a Broken Toe

1. 1

   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 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.

   ^[4]

   • 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 analgesic like ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain.

2. 2

   Follow your doctor's orders. During your doctor's visit, the doctor will take an X-Ray and then give you instructions for how to care for your toe. In some cases, the doctor will realign the bone. In severe cases, surgery may be needed to place pins or screws in the toe to keep the bones in place.

3. 3

   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.

   • 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.

4. 4

   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. 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 gauze every few days to keep the area clean.

   • 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.
   • Diabetics should not tape their toes. Instead, special flat-footed orthopedic shoes should be worn, as prescribed by your doctor.^[5]

5. 5

   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.

   • Be sure to follow the doctor's orders when caring for a severe injury. Ignoring doctor’s orders can cause an injury to take much longer to heal than necessary.

Community Q&A

Answered Questions

Add New Question

• Should I go to the doctor immediately after I injure my toe?

  • It depends how badly you injure it. Give it a short time for the pain to calm down. If the pain goes away, then it probably is on the mend and isn't broken. If you think it's broken or it remains really sore to walk on, see a doctor right away.

• What should I do if my big toe hurts, especially when I put pressure on it? I can walk with a limp, but it hurts.

  • Don't walk on your toe -- just sit down and ask someone in your house to bring you a pack of ice. Then make an appointment to see the doctor or go to the emergency room if you're in a lot of pain.

• What should I do if the broken toe turns red and hot?

  • Visit the emergency services room or your local doctor, it needs seeing to by a professional as it may be infected.

• How long until a fractured toe heals?

  • It depends on the severity of the break but typically, a toe can heal in six to eight weeks as an average. If it's less severe, subtract a bit of time and if more severe, add some time. If it's a compound fracture or a fracture in multiple locations, you should get the answer from your doctor.

• What happens if my toe doesn't heal?

  • Speak with your doctor again and take further action, if needs be.

• Will bodybuilding have an effect on a broken toe?

  • Probably not because if you're weightlifting laying down. If you are standing up, however, you will have to put some pressure on that toe. It might be a good idea to hold off on bodybuilding until your toe is healed; you can still do some light stretches to stay in shape, however.

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Video

If you find it difficult to walk or run and have pain, swelling, and tenderness in your toe, the toe may be broken. Here are some symptoms to be on the lookout for.

Article Info

Categories: Feet Knees and Legs

In other languages:

Español: saber si un dedo del pie está fracturado, Italiano: Sapere se ti Sei Rotto un Dito del Piede, Português: Saber se Seu Dedo do Pé Está Quebrado, Русский: определить сломан ли у вас палец, Deutsch: Erkennen ob ein Zeh gebrochen ist, Français: savoir si votre orteil est cassé, Nederlands: Weten of je teen gebroken is, 中文: 知道你的脚趾是不是断了, Bahasa Indonesia: Mengenali Jari Kaki yang Patah, Čeština: Jak poznat, zda máte zlomený prst na noze, العربية: معرفة ما إذا كان إصبع قدمك مكسورًا, ไทย: ดูว่านิ้วเท้าหักหรือไม่, हिन्दी: जानें कि आपके पैर का अंगूठा टूट गया है, 한국어: 발가락이 부러졌는지 아는 법, Tiếng Việt: Nhận biết Ngón chân bị Gãy, 日本語: つま先の骨折を調べる

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