Toe Sprain
Overview
Causes
A toe sprain is caused by trauma from things like:
- Stubbing the toe into an object when walking barefoot or while wearing sandals
- Stopping quickly when running, causing a toe to jam into the end of the shoe
- Landing awkwardly from a jump, causing a toe to jam into the end of the shoe
The Toes (Phalanges) of the Foot |
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SymptomsandDiagnosis
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You will also be asked how you hurt your toe. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on your toe.
It can be hard to tell a toe sprain from a fracture or dislocation. Pictures of the foot may be taken. This can be done with:
- X-rays
- MRI scan
Treatments
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the injury and how severe it is. The goal of treatment is to ease pain and improve movement. Choices are:
- Supportive care, such as rest, ice, a compression bandage, and raising the foot to ease pain and swelling
- Over the counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen
- A stiff shoe to keep the toe still as it heals
- Physical therapy to strengthen the toe and improve movement
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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All rights reserved.
RESOURCES
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation http://www.aapmr.org
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine http://www.sportsmed.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
British Columbia Association of Podiatrists http://www.foothealth.ca
Canadian Podiatric Medical Association http://www.podiatrycanada.org
References
Adult foot health. The American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society website. Available at: http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/overview/Pages/Adult-Foot-Health.aspx. Accessed October 12, 2020.
Chauvin NA, Jaimes C, Khwaja A. Ankle and foot injuries in the young athlete. Sem Musculoskelet Radiol.2018;22(1):104-117
Derry S, Moore RA, Gaskell H, McIntyre M, Wiffen PJ. Topical NSAIDs for acute musculoskeletal pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2015;(6):CD007402.
Du P, Chen K, Patterson D, Ranade S. The pediatric ankle and foot: a review of common injuries in the pediatric athlete and their treatments. Annals of Joints.2018;(3):35-46.
Sports injuries. National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health%5FInfo/Sports%5FInjuries/default.asp. Accessed October 12, 2020.
Topical NSAIDs. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/drug-review/topical-nsaids . Accessed October 9, 2020.