Podiatrist Questions Podiatrist

Broken toe?

I think I have broken my small toe and possibly the toe next to it. I cannot put pressure when trying to walk as it's too painful and I am hoping to get around. What can I do?

Female | 20 years old
Complaint duration: 1 day
Medications: Nothing
Conditions: Nothing

22 Answers

Get an x-ray asap.
See a foot and ankle specialist and get an x-ray to ensure the position of the toes are adequate; the poor position can lead to arthritis and other conditions that require surgery in the future. Early and proper offloading of shoes and boots can expedite the healing process and protect from re-injury. Call the Foot, Ankle & Leg Specialists at South Florida Institute of Sports Medicine.

Get a surgical shoe. Body splint them together, and tape them together using a medical tape, available at CVS.
You need to have it x-rayed and then most likely offload with a CAM walker.
Definitely go to a podiatrist to confirm there is a fracture on x-ray and also to gauge if it is in acceptable alignment. For now, tape the two toes together and wear a stiff sole shoe to minimize bending.
Wearing a trauma boot or trauma shoe that doesn’t allow you to bend the toes when walking due to a stiff sole that doesn’t bend an X-ray will tell you if the alignment of the bone is acceptable.
I would recommend getting an X-ray at an urgent care and finding out.
Hi,

The small toe cannot be fixed, it will heal with time. The other toe should heal by itself too. You could put something on it to immobilize it. Do not use close-toe shoes to avoid putting pressure on them.

Good luck with that.
Please make an appointment with a podiatrist to examine the area.

Saima Ismaili, DPM
1012 Physicians Drive
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 571-0602
Carolinafootcenters.com
Without an x-ray, this is difficult to give an answer. However, if the 5th digit does have a break and is relatively non-displaced this typically can be treated with buddy taping the 4th and 5th toes together with paper tape and a small amount of cotton between toes. Typically you can wear a regular shoe based on pain, if too painful a surgical shoe is best.
Go to an urgent care center for x-rays.
Check to make sure that the toes look well-aligned, make sure they are as warm as the other side, not turning white, and have full sensation. If all of that seems ok, use some thin, preferably silk tape to buddy splint the injured toes to the adjacent 3rd toe. An x-ray at urgent care, orthopedist, or podiatrist can confirm or rule out a fracture. Poorly aligned toes should be reduced and stabilized. Fracture healing takes 6-8 weeks.
Listen to your body does not bear weight on the painful site bc it can affect the alignment, so dial back your activity.
I would recommend having an x-ray taken as soon as possible. In the meantime I would tape the two toes together and take an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or Advil or Aleve. You can also put ice on it as well.
You should see a podiatrist and have it x-rayed to confirm if there is a broken toe or if it's just a bruise. Once you have the diagnosis, then a treatment plan can be put in place as the treatment for each is different.
You need to go to a podiatrist to have your toes X-rayed.  Some fractures can be taped, others need a splint or to be realigned if the bones are out of position.
The best thing is to ice it off and on, take some Advil. A podiatrist can dispense you with a surgical shoe, which will make it less painful to walk on, and take an x-ray to make sure it’s not too severe or dislocated.
You probably should go get an x-ray to confirm if there’s that much pain. In the meantime, you can get in the elastic type of tape at the pharmacy and tape the last fourth and fifth toes together. Also, you would wear hard-soled shoes if possible and try to avoid weight-bearing as much as possible.
I would go see your local podiatrist and obtain an x-ray in order to know if it’s broken for sure. You can try buddy tapping as well.
Begin with rest, ice and elevation. I recommend you make an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon (podiatrist) for diagnosis, cause and treatment options for your case
strap the two toes together and apply ice and wear a stiff last shoe, and if no improvement after 48 hours, seek medical attention
You can buddy splint the 2 toes to the 3rd toe for support. You can wear flat, comfortable, roomy shoes to accommodate swelling. You should rest and ice the area. You can take anti-inflammatory medication for the swelling and pain.