Stubbing a toe can even cause breaks, sprains, broken nails, and infections. The pain of a stubbed toe usually subsides after a few minutes. In some cases, however, the impact could break the toe or the toenail, causing intense pain that may get worse over hours or days.

How can you tell if you broke your toe?

Broken toes are some of the most common breaks of the foot and are frequently marked by symptoms like:

1. Severe bruising.
2. Intense & throbbing pain.
3. Swelling.
4. Deformity.
5. Difficulty walking.
6. Toenail discoloration.
7. Crooked & misshapen appearance of the toe.

Can you break a bone in your foot by stubbing your toe?

Dropping something heavy on your foot is a common cause of fractures. Missteps. Sometimes just putting your foot down wrong can result in a broken bone. A toe can get broken from stubbing your toes on furniture.

How long does a stubbed toe take to heal?

This might mean staying off your feet and not wearing constricting shoes for a few days. When cared for correctly, a broken toe can heal in about four to six weeks. Your doctor may also recommend that you pick up some pain medication as well as try buddy taping.

Can a broken toe look normal?

Broken Toe Symptoms

The toe may not look normal, and it may even look bent or deformed if the broken bone is out of place. It may be difficult to walk because of the pain, especially if the big toe is fractured.

Why Stubbing Your Toe Hurts So Much

42 related questions found

What happens when you break your little toe?

The most common symptoms of a broken pinky toe include: a popping sound when the injury occurs. throbbing pain that's immediate and may fade after a few hours. difficulty putting weight on your foot.

What is the easiest bone to break in your foot?

5th metatarsal fracture

The fifth metatarsal bone is the most common metatarsal bone to be fractured in sudden (acute) injury to the foot.

How do I know if I broke my foot or sprain it?

In general, a broken foot tends to be more painful than a sprained foot, and the pain lasts longer. Bruising, swelling, and tenderness are also more severe if your foot is broken. Another way to tell the difference between a broken foot and sprained foot is the sound the body makes when the injury occurs.

How do you tell if your toe is broken or just sprained?

One other key difference between a break and a sprain is the location of the pain. Usually a break will hurt right where the bone has fractured. With a sprain, the pain may be felt in a more general area around the toe. The only way to tell for sure if the injury is a break or a sprain is to see your doctor.

Is it easy to break your toes?

Each of your toes has three bones, except for the big toe, which has two. A break can happen when you stub your toe really hard or drop something on it. A broken toe doesn't usually need much medical care. In fact, it can be tough to tell whether you broke it or just hurt it badly, and the treatment's often the same.

Do doctors do anything for a broken toe?

Usually, you can treat a broken toe by taping it to a neighboring toe. But if the fracture is severe — particularly if it involves your big toe — you may need a cast or even surgery to ensure proper healing.

Can a broken toe heal on its own?

Most broken toes will heal on their own with proper care at home. It can take 4 to 6 weeks for complete healing. Most pain and swelling will go away within a few days to a week. If something was dropped on the toe, the area under the toenail can bruise.

What happens if you leave a broken toe untreated?

A fractured toe that's left untreated can lead to infection

You're at increased risk of developing a bone infection if you have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or a compromised or weakened immune system. Symptoms that suggest your toe has developed a bone infection include: Fatigue. Fever.

Should I go to hospital for a broken toe?

A broken toe can be painful, but you do not usually need to go to hospital. There are things you can do to treat it at home.

What does a sprained toe feel like?

Symptoms of a Sprained Toe

While painful, your toe will still remain functional. This means you can still walk and put your body weight on it. However, you may also feel throbbing, tenderness, or increased pain while moving the injured toe.

Can you break a bone without knowing it?

Believe it or not, sometimes people can break bones and not realize it. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says some bones are more prone to fractures. Swelling, trouble moving a joint, or lingering pain after a few days can all be indications of a bone fracture.

What is a fracture vs break?

There's no difference between a fracture and a break. A fracture is any loss of continuity of the bone. Anytime the bone loses integrity—whether it's a hairline crack barely recognizable on an X-ray or the shattering of bone into a dozen pieces—it's considered a fracture.

What's the worst bone to break?

Here are 10 of the worst bone fractures you could get.

• Skull. ...
• Wrist. ...
• Hip. ...
• Rib. ...
• Ankle. ...
• Pelvis. A fracture in the pelvis can be life-threatening, just like hip fractures. ...
• Tailbone. A tailbone fracture can make life difficult, and there is no way to hold the fractured tailbone in place. ...
• Elbow. A broken elbow is very painful.

What is the hardest bone to break?

The thigh bone is called a femur and not only is it the strongest bone in the body, it is also the longest. Because the femur is so strong, it takes a large force to break or fracture it – usually a car accident or a fall from high up.

Can you walk on a hairline fracture?

Although one can walk on a foot with a stress fracture, these tiny hairline breaks should not be ignored as they can return unless properly treated.

Can you break your pinky toe by stubbing it?

However, it can be intensely painful. Stubbing a toe can even cause breaks, sprains, broken nails, and infections. The pain of a stubbed toe usually subsides after a few minutes. In some cases, however, the impact could break the toe or the toenail, causing intense pain that may get worse over hours or days.

Can you play sports with broken toe?

Recovery for a Broken Toe

Your toe is likely to be tender and swollen, even after a few weeks. You'll likely need to avoid running, playing sports, or walking long distances for one to two months after your injury.

Should I take time off work for broken toe?

2-3 weeks in a walking boot or cast, then. 3-4 weeks in a stiff-soled shoe. Return to work and sport in 6-8 weeks is usual.

Is it OK to run on a broken toe?

If you have broken a toe, you may experience symptoms such as severe bruising, pain, deformity, discoloration, and swelling. Naturally, this can make walking, and even standing, difficult. Running with a broken toe is therefore not suggested.

Can a toe be permanently broken?

It is a common misconception that broken toes can't be treated and will heal on their own. The truth is, not treating a broken toe can result in complications that, not only make the healing process take longer, but can cause permanent damage.