If you enjoy running or jogging frequently, you may encounter a broken toe at some point. Perhaps your shoes do not fit correctly, or you kick a dangerous rock by accident.
Either way, it can be quite painful, and cause a good amount of discomfort when you try to walk or exercise. Trauma or injury such as jamming the toe or dropping a heavy object on it is the most common cause of a break.
The location of the feet just make them naturally prone to injury. Prolonged repetitive movements, as in certain sports activities, can cause a type of broken type of injury called a stress or hairline fracture.
Pain, swelling, or stiffness are the symptoms which you will most likely notice first. It may be difficult to walk due to the pain, especially if the largest toe is the one affected.
This is due to the fact that the big one bears much of the weight of the body when walking or pivoting. A break in the littlest one may be painful, but usually does not limit the ability to walk.
Other symptoms include bruising of the skin around the area in pain, and a bent or deformed appearance if the bone has moved out of place. Other problems may develop as a result of the fracture.
If your nail is also affected, a collection of blood may develop underneath the toenail called a subungual hematoma. If it is large, it may need to be drained.
To drain a subungual hematoma, a doctor will make a small hole in the toenail to drain the blood out. If the hematoma is particularly bad, the entire toenail may need to be removed, though this is not always the circumstance.
The injury may also result in a broken toenail that may need to be trimmed or removed. Rarely, the broken bone in a fracture may stick out through the skin.
This is very serious, and is called a compound fracture. Emergency medical treatment and surgery may be necessary in this case.
After the injury heals, the person may still be left with arthritis, pain, stiffness, or even a deformity. Sometimes, the fractured bone will not heal completely, or will heal improperly.
Rarely, surgery may be necessary to fix this problem. However, this is not usually the situation.
Go to a hospital's emergency department if you encounter any of the following signs or symptoms. Any symptoms of a possible compound fracture which include open wounds, bleeding, or drainage from near the broken toe need to be treated immediately.
Cold, numb, tingling, or unusual sensation are another symptom. Look for any blue or gray colored skin near the injury.
If the pain worsens or new pain is not relieved by pain medication, or if there are sores, redness, or open wounds near the injury, go to a doctor. It is best to seek medical evaluation soon after the accident, to ensure proper treatment and healing.
A doctor will ask questions to determine how the area was injured, and will examine it and possibly check for other injuries. A doctor may take an X-ray to evaluate if it is broken or fractured.
X-rays are not always necessary to make a diagnosis, especially if the break is in one of the smaller ones. Stress fractures, due to overuse or repetitive movement, may need an MRI to be diagnosed.
If you are unlucky enough to have one of these problems, avoid strenuous exercise, prolonged standing, or walking. Crutches may be needed, or a special shoe to wear when walking to avoid putting weight on the fracture while it heals.
Put ice in a plastic bag, and apply it to the injury for fifteen to twenty minutes every one to two hours for the first couple of days. Place a towel between the skin and the ice to protect the skin.
Frozen peas or corn can also be used to ice the painful area as well. The peas or corn may conform to the fractured area better than an ice pack.
To decrease swelling and pain, keep the foot raised above the level of the heart as much as possible. Prop the foot up as much as possible, especially when sleeping.
When you can exercise, try using an elliptical machine, or something else that is low impact. If you feel you have this issue, seek the council of a doctor right away.
Author Resource:-
Terry Daniels is an accomplished expert in health and fitness. He recommends the bestelliptical machines you can find in the market.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 