Broken Toe Myths & Facts

People tend to have some misconceptions when it comes to the topic of treating a broken toe. As with any painful foot or ankle injury, your best bet is to see our experienced foot doctor for the proper treatment, so the condition doesn’t continue to worsen.

Some broken toe myths and facts include the following:

Myth— “It must not be broken because I can walk on it.”

• Fact—The fact of the matter is that a number of toe injuries, such as a hairline fracture, may only exhibit minor, intermittent pain in the beginning, but if left untreated, the condition will continue to worsen. So, if you drop your phone on your foot or stub your toe (while staring at your phone, no less!) just trying to “walk it off” could likely cause additional damage and prolong the pain.

Myth— “Don’t worry about it! Broken toes will heal by themselves!”

• Fact—If you do nothing and just hope for the best, your broken toe will almost certainly get worse. As soon as you can after the injury, employ the RICE protocol and allow any swelling to subside to get a better idea of the severity of the injury. There are some simple support treatments such as buddy taping that may be enough to immobilize a toe fracture that isn’t too severe.

If you suspect that you may have broken your toe, your best action would be to see our expert Podiatrist for a proper evaluation. Call Valley Stream Podiatry, located in Long Island - Valley Stream, NY. With access to advanced technologies, Dr. Andrew Shapiro, Dr. Michael Barkin and Dr. Sajni Shah can help you manage all of your foot and ankle conditions including heel pain, ankle sprains, toe deformities, fungal toenails, and plantar warts. Call 516) 825-3860 or make an appointment online today.