Broken Toe
Medical Author: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Introduction to broken toe
A commonly injured area of the body is the foot, more
specifically, the toes (phalanxes). This often causes one or more of the toe
bones to break (fracture).
What are the causes of a broken toe?
Trauma or injury such as stubbing the toe (jammed toe) or dropping a heavy
object on the toe may cause a broken toe. The location of the toes (in the front
part of the feet) make them the most likely part of the foot to be injured.
Prolonged repetitive movements, as in certain sports
activities, can cause a type of broken type of broken toe called a stress or hairline fracture.
What are the symptoms of a broken toe?
- Pain, swelling, or stiffness will occur in a broken toe following injury. It
may be difficult to walk due to the pain, especially with a broken big
toe. This is because the big toe bears much of the weight of the body when
walking or pivoting. A broken little toe may be painful but usually does not
limit the ability to walk.
- Other symptoms include bruising of the skin around the toe and a bent or
deformed appearance of the toe if the broken bone is out of place.
- Other problems may develop as a result of the fractured toe. Complications
can occur immediately after the injury (minutes to days), or can develop much
later (weeks to years).
What are the possible complications of a broken toe?
- Nail injury: A collection of blood may develop underneath the
toenail called
a subungual hematoma. If it is
large, it may need to be drained. To drain a
subungual hematoma a doctor will make a small hole in the toenail to drain the
blood out. If the hematoma is very large or painful, the entire toenail may need
to be removed. The injury may also result in a broken toenail that may need to
be trimmed or removed.
- Compound fracture: Rarely, the broken bone in a toe fracture may stick out through the skin.
This is called an open or compound fracture. Emergency medical treatment and
surgery may be necessary in this case.
- Arthritis: After the toe fracture heals, the person may still be
left with arthritis,
pain, stiffness, or even a deformity.
- Nonunion/malunion: Sometimes, the fractured bone will not heal completely (called a nonunion) or
will heal improperly (called a malunion). Rarely, surgery may be necessary to
fix this problem.
Next: When should I call a doctor about a broken toe? »
- Foot Pain - Read about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of foot pain. Pain in the feet may be caused by poorly fitting shoes, injuries, or diseases such as diabetes and gout.
- Hematoma - Learn about a hematoma, a collection of blood outside a blood vessel. Types of hematomas include head, scalp, ear, septal, pelvic, intramuscular, subungual, and intra-abdominal.
- Fracture - Read about fracture of bone(s). The most common fractures are stress fractures, rib fractures, skull fractures, and fractures in children. Causes vary and treatment is dependant upon the type of fracture.
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Broken Toe
Foot Pain »
How is the foot designed?
The foot is an intricate structure of 24 bones that
form two arches. The longitudinal arch runs the length of the foot, and the
transverse arch runs the width. The ankle joint is the interaction of the foot
and the lower leg, and the toes are on the far side of the foot. The bones of
the foot are primarily held together by the shape that they fit with each other
and by a fibrous tissue known as ligaments. The muscles of the foot, along with
a tough, sinewy tissue known as the plantar fascia, provide secondary support to
the foot. The foot has internal muscles that originate and insert in the foot
and external muscles that begin in the lower leg and attach in various places on
the bones of the foot. There are also fat pads in the foot to help with weight-bearing and absorbing impact during weight-bearing.
The foot is the foundation
of most athletic movements. Pain indicates that there is somethi...
Read the Foot Pain article »
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