What do you do when you Stub your Toe?

Have you stubbed your toe lately? If you are anything like most of Americans, you have had some clumsy moments during your life. Whether it was running into a wall, stubbing your toe on the bedpost or even tripping over your own feet, we have all done it at some point. The most common injury is hurting your little piggy. Over 70% of people have broken one of their little toes at some point in their life.

So, what about stubbing your toe into a bedpost? We’ve all done it and gosh does it hurt. So, how should you treat it? Well, as with all injuries, it is really important to follow RICE: rest, ice, compress and elevate. You should put the ice on for about 20 minutes and then off for 20 minutes. If after a couple of days you are stilling having a lot of pain or your toe starts to change color, you need to immediately see your podiatrist. There is not much that can be done for a broken toe, other than your big toe. But, if you have damaged your blood vessels then it will need to be evaluated.

What can be done for a broken toe? We can splint your toe to the one next to it. Or if it is your big toe, then you can have it set sometimes with a leg cast that extends out some or it can be surgically fixed. Many times though, it will just be left alone because toes are so little that they are hard to treat for a fracture.

So, if you or someone you know has broken a toe and are having a lot of pain, you should seek help from your podiatrist. If you live in the Bradford or Burlington, Massachusetts area, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help treat your calluses. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover  01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.