Table of contents:
- What are some common toe disorders and injuries?
- Broken toe
- Hammertoe
- Toe Turf
- Bunion
- How to prevent foot disorders and injuries
- How to treat foot wounds?
- Treatment of cuts, scrapes and scratches:
- Bruised foot treatment:
- Treatment of tense toes:
- Treatment of the toe that is crushed or hit hard:
- Treatment of subungual hematoma (presence of blood under the nail):
- Torn nails:
- Drug therapy for pain control
The foot is made up of many bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Each leg is made up of 28 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which work together to provide support, balance and mobility. Toes are involved in many activities, so they are easy to get hurt.
What are some common toe disorders and injuries?
There are many things that can damage your toes: playing sports, impacting your feet, or wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause injury to your toes. If you are an athlete, you have a higher risk of foot injury than other people because athletes place high stress on their feet. Here we will highlight some of the most common injuries and disorders and how to recognize them.
Broken toe
Broken toes can occur when you drop something on your leg or when you trip. If the crack is small, you can fix it by tying it around the other toe until it heals. However, if the crack is large like in your big toe, you may need a cast or splint.
Signs of a broken leg are obvious: pain, swelling, or a discoloration in the area of the broken bone. In more severe cases, you may find protruding bones or deformities in the legs.
Hammertoe
Hammertoe is a disorder that occurs in the feet. This usually affects the second, third, fourth, or fifth toes. The toes will bend and can increase the pressure when wearing shoes or doing activities.
Often in a hammertoe, it's hard to find comfortable shoes. Calluses will form on the toes, between the two toes or on the soles of your feet due to friction against the shoe. Some cases also experience redness or inflammation.
Toe Turf
Toe turf is a sprain in the ligament around the big toe joint. This occurs after bending firmly on the big toe. This usually occurs in people who wear flexible lightweight shoes or those who force repetitive movements of the thumb like dancers, for example.
Symptoms include aches and pains in the big toe joint. The doctor will recommend X-rays to make sure there are no fractures. If symptoms are mild, your doctor may just ask you to rest and use an ice pack on your leg. You can use dome techniques such as wearing stiff shoes to limit movement.
Bunion
Bunion is a condition when your big toe pushes against the other toes, causing the joint in the big toe. Smaller bunions are called bunionettes.
Symptoms include aches and pains in the big toe and made worse by wearing narrow shoes. The more the big toe pushes against the other toes, the worse the symptoms will be. In mild symptoms, simply stop wearing ill-fitting shoes and put ice on your foot is sufficient but in the worst case scenario, you may need to have surgery.
How to prevent foot disorders and injuries
Wearing uncomfortable shoes for a long period of time often leads to foot injuries and irritation. To avoid this, choose a comfortable pair of shoes, supported by soft soles and good curves.
Throw away shoes that are worn out as they may not withstand impact well or provide no protection. If you go walking a lot, experts recommend that you buy a new pair of shoes every 3 months or after 800 km.
You must wear socks to prevent skin blisters. Avoid walking barefoot in streets or parks where you can step on a foreign object easily.
Reduce the time you are standing or exercising on hard surfaces as much as possible. Use a base to reduce pressure on your feet when you exercise. You can use braces to cover your feet or ankles to avoid the risk of injury.
When you exercise, just to be safe:
- Stretch well before and after exercise.
- Start with easy exercise such as walking before a run, or gradually increase your running distance. Do not exert energy suddenly, such as for a sprint.
- Make sure to clean anything that might get in your way that might scratch your feet while walking or playing sports.
Never cut calluses with a razor or pocket knife.
How to treat foot wounds?
Treatment of cuts, scrapes and scratches:
If you have cuts, scrapes or scratches on your feet, you must apply pressure to stop the bleeding. After the bleeding has stopped, gently moisten the wound with soap and water with a washcloth.
Use clean scissors to cut the loose skin. Apply antibiotic ointment, cover with a bandage. Change every day.
Bruised foot treatment:
Soak feet in cold water for 20 minutes.
Treatment of tense toes:
Even though your feet may look normal from the outside, there may be fractures in your leg bones. Rest your feet by soaking them in cold water for 20 minutes. If the pain is more than mild, protect it by tying it to the other toe.
Treatment of the toe that is crushed or hit hard:
Apply an ice pack to the area for 20 minutes. Wash your feet with soap and water for 5 minutes. Cut any small pieces of torn dead skin with scissors cleaned with alcohol. Cover the wound with antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Change every day.
Treatment of subungual hematoma (presence of blood under the nail):
Apply an ice pack to the area for 20 minutes.
Torn nails:
If your nail is close to tearing, use sterile scissors to cut along the tear line. If your nail rips outward with a rough edge, leave it alone. Apply antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage. Change every day.
After about 7 days, the nails will be covered with new skin and they won't hurt anymore. It will take about 6-12 weeks for the nails to fully regrow.
Drug therapy for pain control
For pain relief, you can use paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Do not use ibuprofen if you have stomach problems, kidney disease, are pregnant, or have been told by your doctor to avoid this type of anti-inflammatory drug. Do not use ibuprofen for more than 7 days without consulting your doctor. Do not use paracetamol if you have liver disease.