What should I do if my toes are broken?

If the toes are fractured, the affected area may not heal for a long time. And with improper handling and treatment, the finger can lose its shape and flexibility. What are the causes, symptoms of a broken toe, and what to do about it?

Causes of a broken toe

Trauma or leg injury (stuck finger) or as a result of falling a heavy object on toes can lead to broken phalanges of toes. The location of the fingers (in front of the foot) makes them the most vulnerable part of the foot for fractures and injuries.

Long-lasting movements, such as in some sports events, can lead to a broken finger, can be called stress or microcracks at the site of the fracture.

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What are the symptoms of a broken toe?

Symptoms of a finger fracture on the leg are as follows: pain, swelling, stiffness will most likely be in the broken toe after trauma; it can be difficult to walk due to pain, especially with a broken thumb. This is because the big toe carries most of the body weight when walking or bending. A broken little finger on the leg can be very painful, but, as a rule, do not limit a person's ability to walk.

Other finger fracture symptoms on the leg include bruises on the skin around the toes and bent or deformed toes.

Other problems can also develop as a result of a fracture of the toe. Complications can occur immediately after the injury (from several minutes to 5-6 days), or can develop much later (from a couple weeks to several years).

What are the possible complications after broken toes?

Injuries to the nails. Blood in these injuries can collect under the fingernails and is called a subungual hematoma. If the spot of the hematoma is large, then, probably, the blood from the nail of the nail will have to be drained. To drain the subungual hematoma, the doctor will make a small hole in the nail to drain the blood. If the hematoma is very large and painful, the entire toenail may need to be removed. Trauma can also lead to broken nails, which may need to be removed.

Fracture. Rarely broken leg bones after a fracture can protrude through the skin. This is called an open fracture. In this case, emergency medical care and surgery may be necessary.

Arthritis. After the fracture of the toes, which have already been cured, the legs can still ache due to rheumatoid arthritis, from which the toes suffer. The person experiences pain in the legs, stiffness of the movements, the toes of the foot can be deformed.

Incorrect tissue after fracture. Sometimes fracture of the bones does not heal completely (the so-called vicious coalescence) or wrong treatment (the so-called wrong fusion of tissues after injury). Often, surgery is needed to solve this problem. For example, osteotomy - remove deformations of bones and joints.

Diagnosis of a finger fracture on the leg

It is best to undergo a medical examination immediately after the first signs of a fracture of the toe appeared, in order to provide proper treatment.

The doctor will ask questions to determine exactly how the finger was injured and, probably, it will be necessary to check the presence of other injuries.

A doctor can recommend an X-ray examination to assess whether the finger is broken or not. X-rays are not always necessary to diagnose broken toes, especially if damage to one of the small fingers is clearly visible.

Stress fractures due to excessive or repeated movement may require MRI to diagnose.

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When should I see a doctor about broken toes?

The emergency room should be consulted if there are the following symptoms of a broken toe

• Any signs of a possible open fracture that include open wounds, bleeding or drainage near a broken leg
• Coldness, numbness, tingling, or unusual sensations in the toes;
• Blue or gray skin around the injury.
• Typical crunching (creping) when the affected area is compressed

Call your doctor if you have any of the following cases

• If the condition of the broken finger worsens or the new pain does not go away from the painkillers
• Wounds, redness or open wounds on affected legs
• The ankle or shin is damaged or broken.

What should be the treatment for a broken toe?

Care for a broken finger at home. A broken toe can be treated at home (provided that there is no need to consult a doctor or go to the emergency room for treatment). You can do the following to help reduce pain and swelling after fracture of the foot and help fracture heal faster.

Recreation. Avoid strenuous exercise, prolonged standing or walking. Crutches may be necessary, or you will need to wear special shoes when walking, so as not to strain your leg and do not put weight on it at the fracture site while it heals.

Ice compresses. Put the ice in a plastic bag and apply it to the injury for 15-20 minutes every 1-2 hours for the first 1-2 days. Put a towel between the body and the ice to protect the skin. Frozen peas or corn can also be used for an ice pack of a broken leg. Peas or corn can cure the swelling and redness at the fracture site is even better than ice.

Height. To reduce swelling and pain in the broken finger, keep your feet above the heart as long as possible. Reliance on the leg is needed as much as possible (for example, several pillows can be used), especially during sleep. Lying in a deckchair is also useful.

Prospects for the treatment of broken toes

Depending on the location and severity of the toe fracture, the bones at the fracture site should be returned to their seats. If there is an open wound of the victim's foot, tetanus vaccination and antibiotic treatment may be necessary.

If there are open fractures of the leg, in some cases, surgery and antibiotic treatment may be necessary. This type of fracture should be clearly visible to the doctor.

Medications

Usually, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin) may be necessary to relieve pain. To treat a severe fracture, the doctor may prescribe an anesthetic for the effects much stronger than the previous one.

If the finger in the fracture site is displaced (the two ends of the broken leg bone do not converge) or turns (the finger points in the wrong direction), the doctor may need to reduce it or place the broken finger in place.

Sometimes local anesthesia may be required to numb the legs or toes before placing the bones in place.

After reducing pain, the tires will be applied to the fingers of the broken leg to hold them in place while they heal.

Gypsum tape

If there are minor or small cracks in the bones of one of the small fingers, the doctor may require a plaster band on the wounded leg to support it. This procedure is called forming a band of gypsum.

The tape, as a rule, does not make the foot safe for swimming, so you have to remove it before you bathe, so consult your doctor beforehand.

How to work with gypsum tape

Put a small piece of cotton wool or gauze between the fingers, which close together. This prevents the skin between the fingers from developing ulcers or blisters. Use as a fixer a little tape as necessary to fix a broken finger and a finger next to it. If the fingers are deformed too much, it can cause additional swelling and pain. Operation

It is usually not required for a simple toe fracture. Shoes with a hard sole should be worn, it is strong, and will support the foot. The doctor can recommend the patient special shoes, if the legs or toes are very swollen.

The operation may be necessary if the big toe is broken, and the fracture includes several small fractures of the legs, if the bone in the leg or the leg itself is broken.

What are the prospects for restoring broken toes?

Consult your doctor to make sure that you continue to be treated correctly. Call your doctor or emergency room if you have any problems or complications before the doctor's appointed time.

The healing of broken fingers usually takes about six weeks. If the problem lasts longer than six weeks, other X-rays may be needed.

Damage should be rechecked with the help of a doctor to assess how the bone heals.

Simple leg fractures usually heal without problems. Nevertheless, a serious fracture or fracture of the joint is sometimes combined with the risk of developing arthritis, pain, stiffness, and possibly even disability. Therefore, if you have symptoms of a broken toe or leg, you need to consult a doctor immediately.