Toe Fracture
Overview
SymptomsandDiagnosis
Treatments
Treatment
It can take 4 to 8 weeks for the toe to heal. The goals of treatment are to manage pain and support the bone as it heals. Options may be:
- Medicine to ease pain and swelling
- Tape, a cast, or a shoe with a stiff bottom may be needed to keep bones in place as they heal
- Crutches to take weight off of the toe
Putting Bones Back In Place
Some fractures cause pieces of bone to come apart. These pieces will need to be put back into place. This may be done:
- Without surgery—anesthesia will be used to ease pain while the doctor moves the pieces back into place
- With surgery—pins or screws may be used to reconnect the pieces and hold them in place
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
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a (Broken Toe; Fracture, Toe)
RESOURCES
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine http://www.sportsmed.org
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons http://www.orthoinfo.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Orthopaedic Association http://www.coa-aco.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation http://www.canorth.org
References
Abu-Laban RB, Ho K. Ankle and foot. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby; 2009.
Toe and forefoot fractures. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00165. Updated June 2016. Accessed September 30, 2019.
Toe phalanx fracture - emergency. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/management/toe-phalanx-fracture-emergency-management . Accessed September 30, 2019.