Have you ever jammed your toe and broke it? Lesser toe fractures are among the most common injuries. For the most part, they are simple to treat. Fractures of the toe that are nondisplaced, or have not moved significantly and are in good alignment are treated nonsurgically. Toe fractures that are not aligned anatomically, have an open wound associated with them or are unstable may benefit from surgical treatment. The toe is usually immobilized with buddy taping to the neighboring toe and a hard sole shoe or postoperative shoe are worn to protect the healing toe for 2-3 weeks.
Prevention
Prevent toe fractures by wearing supportive shoes. For those who have occupations where they are at risk of heavy objects being dropped on their toes, it is recommended that they wear steel toe or composite toe boots or shoes.
If you are concerned that you might have broken a toe or have a broken toe out of alignment or it seems to not be healing, please contact us.
If you have an open wound associated with a suspected broken toe, please seek immediate care.
To Summarize
Lesser (Small) Toe Fractures
- Common type of fracture
- Frequently caused by crushing injury or jamming the toes
Treatment
- Buddy taping
- Wear hard sole shoe or postoperative shoe for 2-4 weeks
- Surgery is helpful for fractures that do not heal, are malaligned, unstable pattern, or are associated with an open wound
- -Standard RICE treatment (rest, ice, compression and elevation)
- Antiinflammatory medications if medically appropriate for the individual and/or acetaminophen
When to seek care
- Malaligned
- Associated with an open wound
- Is not improving over 2-3 weeks
- Persistently painful
- Stiff
- Unable to move the toe or if it moves abnormally
