Toe Fracture - Symptoms, Treatment

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Fractured toe

Fractures of various bones, especially limbs, are common and widespread. Fractures of the toes take the leading place among them.

Fractures of toes: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Various external damaging factors - twisting of the leg, bruising, compression - can cause a toe fracture. Such fractures are called traumatic. Along with them, pathological fractures are also distinguished that arise as a result of certain systemic diseases (osteoporosis, osteomyelitis, bone cancer, thyroid dysfunction, and others) due to a violation of the strength of bone tissue.

In accordance with the classification adopted in medicine, the following fractures of the toes are distinguished:

• closed or open,
• with or without offset,
• incomplete or complete
• located on the nail, middle or main phalanx; the same group includes combined fractures.

Symptoms

Symptoms of toe fractures can be absolute or relative.

The absolute include:

• unnatural position
• pathological mobility,
• characteristic crunch when pressed (crepitus).

Relative symptoms are:

• sharp pain, including when moving,
• edema,
• dysfunction,
• subcutaneous or subungual hemorrhage.

The intensity of the relative symptoms directly depends on the location of the fracture. In order to make an accurate diagnosis and make sure that a toe fracture is present, in addition to the relative and absolute signs, the doctor will need to conduct a detailed interview with the patient and make sure of the actual objective changes on the radiograph.

Special case: fracture of the big toe

First of all, the difference between the big toe and the rest lies in the number of phalanges - there are two of them. Functionally, it bears the main load when walking. It is the fractures of the big toe that are often intra-articular, characterized by severe pain and loss of function. If the big toe is fractured, cyanosis and swelling can spread to the entire foot and other toes.

Toe fracture treatment

The nature of a toe fracture influences the choice of treatment. With an open fracture, it is necessary to restore the normal position of the bone fragments and surrounding tissues (reduction), immobilize the finger (immobilization). In this case, the introduction of rabies vaccine or serum and antibiotic therapy are also required.

If the localization of the injury is in the area of the nail phalanx, the treatment of a toe fracture begins with anesthesia. Then, a blood clot is removed from under the nail plate, the bone is immobilized and fixed.

Treatment of a toe fracture in the area of the middle and main phalanx most often requires the imposition of a plantar plaster cast for 1-1.5 months.

If the violation of the integrity of the bones of the toe is localized inside the joint, then surgical treatment with needles, and in some cases the Ilizarov apparatus, will be required. After the end of the course of treatment, a second X-ray is also required. The load on a previously broken finger should be limited.

As a first aid, if a toe fracture is suspected, it is required to raise the leg to ensure the outflow of blood and reduce tissue edema at the site of injury, as well as apply cold to the sore spot for 15 minutes. Similar measures are also recommended in the first few days after injury.

For the prevention of toe fractures, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes with an orthopedic insole.

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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!