Broken Toe

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You may break (fracture) one of your toes by stubbing it, dropping something on it or bending it. A hairline crack (stress fracture) may occur after a sudden increase in activity, for example, by increasing the amount you run or walk each day.

Symptoms of a broken toe may include:

• A snap or pop at the moment of injury 
• Pain that is worse when you move or touch your toe 
• Swelling and/or bruising 
• Possible deformation (not just swelling), such as your toe pointing in the wrong direction or twisted out of its normal position; a dislocated toe can also look deformed 
• Decreased movement or movement that causes pain

A broken toe is diagnosed through a physical examination. Your health professional will look for swelling, purple or black and blue spots and tenderness. You may need an X-ray to determine whether the toe is broken or dislocated.

In most cases, you can take care of a broken toe at home by applying ice, elevating your foot and resting. Medical treatment for a broken toe depends on which toe is broken, where in the toe the break is and the severity of the break. 

If you do not have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease (PAD), your toe can be buddy-taped to an uninjured toe next to it. Your injured toe may need to be buddy-taped for two to four weeks to heal. If your injured toe hurts more after buddy-taping it, remove the tape.

In rare cases, other treatment may be needed, including:

• Protecting the toe from additional injury; this may include using splints, a short leg cast or a brace to stabilize the toe
• Surgery, if the break is severe

Medical treatment is needed more often for a broken big toe than for the other toes; an untreated fracture may cause long-term pain, limited movement and deformity. 

There are a number of ways to take care of a broken toe. We recommend that you:

• Take pain medicines exactly as directed. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
• If your toe is buddy-taped, your doctor will show you how to change the tape. Protect your skin by putting something soft, such as felt or foam, between your toes before you tape them together. Never tape the toes together skin-to-skin. Your broken toe may need to be buddy-taped for 2 to 4 weeks to heal.
• Rest and protect the injured toe. Do not walk on it until you can do so without too much pain. If the doctor told you to use crutches, use them as instructed.
• Put ice or a cold pack on your toe for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every one to two hours for the first three days (when awake) or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and skin.
• Prop your foot up on a pillow when you ice it or when sitting or lying down. Try to keep the injured foot above the level of your heart. This will reduce swelling.
• Don’t miss follow-up appointments. Your doctor will need to check that the injured toe is healing right.