Broken toe
A broken toe can be severely painful, but often it doesn’t require any hospital treatments. There are some self-treatments to help to get better.
Broken toe symptoms
You have a broken toe if your toe is:
- Bruised or red
- Swollen and painful
- Difficult to walk on
Don’t worry whether it’s just a bruise or broken toe; the treatments are usually the same for both.
What to do?
Doctors might suggest you self-treatment for a broken toe if:
- It isn’t your big toe
- The bone is not out of your foot
- Your toe isn’t pointing at an odd angle
- There is no wound on your broken toe
Broken toes heal within six weeks, which can sometimes take several months.
Broken toe self-treatments
- Consider painkillers
- Rest your foot and try to keep it raised
- Place an ice pack wrapped in a towel for up to 20 minutes every few hours
- Wear comfortable, wide shoes with no heel
- Avoid walking as much as possible
- Place a tiny piece of cotton between your sore toe and the next one, then tape both together for more support
Kindly don’t practice the following:
- Don’t strap your toe with the next one if the broken toe is pointing at an odd angle; seek medical advice
- Don’t place ice directly on your skin
- Don’t stand or walk for long
- Don’t wear pointy shoes
- Don’t play sports that involve running or kicking for six weeks or until the pain eases off
- Don’t try and treat your child’s toe; seek medical help immediately
Consult a doctor if:
- You think your big toe broke
- Your injured toe is pointing in an odd direction
- The bone is out of your toe
- There was any snap, popping, or grinding noise during the time of injury
- You feel numbness or tingling sensations on your injured toe
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022