About this topic
Toes are made up of many parts. You can see the skin and toenails. Other parts include bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. You also have, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. You may have toe pain or other problems if any of these parts are hurt. ‚
Common toe injuries are: ‚
- Broken bone
- Sprained or torn ligament
- Dislocated toe ¢ ˆ ’ Toe bone is moved out of its normal position
- Tendonitis, tendon injury, or muscle sprain
- Bunion ¢ ˆ ’ Bump at the outer edge of the bottom of the big toe
- Hammertoe or mallet toe ¢ ˆ ’ Toes are bent at one of the toe joints making the toe look like a claw
- Toenail problems like ingrown toenail, fungus infection, bruise under the nail
- Skin problems like corns, callus, blisters, rash, athletes foot, warts
- Cuts or puncture wounds
- Amputation
- Growth on a nerve
View OriginalView Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Avoid activities that make your problem worse.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop your foot on pillows to help with swelling.
- Tape the toes together for healing if your doctor suggests you to do so.
- Use a brace, splint, or walking boot if your doctor tells you to do wear one.
- Use crutches, a cane, or a walker to take pressure off of your injured toe.
- Change wound dressings if you have an open area. Your doctor will tell you how to do this.
- Be sure to have shoes that fit the right way. Get ones with a wide toe, good support, and without high heels.
- Use padding over a bunion or corn to help lessen pain and pressure.
- Use creams, warm soaks, or a pumice stone to treat corns and calluses. Do this only if your doctor tells you to. If your have high blood sugar, you should not do anything at home that may cause an opening in the skin.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Your doctor may send you to a doctor who specializes in foot problems.
- You may also need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs or creams to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Prevent or fight an infection
- Treat a rash or skin problem
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to rest your foot for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. If you run, work out, or play sports, you may not be able to do these things until your health problem gets better. If you have surgery, you may not be able to put any weight on your toe for a few weeks. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Loss of motion
- Weakness
- Injury to nerves, blood vessels, or other tissues
- Trouble walking
- Ongoing pain
- Trouble with balance
- Problem, like a bunion or wart, comes back
- Poor healing
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Wear comfortable, supportive shoes with a wide toe. Avoid high heels and tight shoes. Check your childs shoe size often.
- Wear shoes when walking outdoors. Do not go barefoot.
- Keep a healthy weight. Being overweight puts extra stress on your feet.
- If you are a runner, run on softer surfaces such as a track instead of concrete.
- Wash your feet every day.
- Always wear clean, dry socks. Change them if they get damp.
- Do not go barefoot in wet areas such as swimming pools or in locker rooms. This may help you avoid getting a fungus infection.
- If you have high blood sugar, be sure to check your feet every day. Sometimes, numbness from diabetes may prevent you from seeing a cut or problem on your foot.
- Do not attempt to remove warts, calluses, or corns yourself, especially if you have high blood sugar. Be sure to ask your doctor what is safe to do at home.
- Be careful when trimming your toenails. Cutting them too short may cause an ingrown toenail.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, or wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Pain or swelling gets worse
- Numbness and tingling get worse
- Toe is cold and pale
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how I will care for my injured area.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or numbness and tingling or swelling.
Where can I learn more?
American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society ‚
http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/overview/Pages/Adult-Foot-Health.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚