Toe fractures

[Oralee]

Any toe can be fractured.

The fractured toe is usually painful, swollen, and tender, and the nail may be discolored.
Doctors can often diagnose a toe fracture based on a physical examination.
Treatment usually consists of taping the fractured toe to the toe next to it (called buddy taping), but if the toe appears abnormally bent, the broken pieces of bone must be put back in place (reduced).

(See also Overview of Fractures.)
Toes can break when people drop a heavy object on them or when people stub their toe.

[Tariq Zaki]

Most toe fractures are minimally displaced and require only taping to an adjacent toe (buddy taping).

(See also Overview of Fractures.)

Toes fractures may result from dropping a heavy object on the toes or stubbing them.

Pain, swelling, and tenderness are common. Subungual hematoma (between the nail plate and nail bed) is also common, particularly when the mechanism is a crush injury.