Broken Toe Healing Time

Breaking a toe can be very painful and equally frustrating. It is often referred to as a 'freak injury' simply because it happens in the most unlikely or unexpected of circumstances (for example, accidentally stubbing your big toe on a rock while playing beach football, or tripping over a roadside brick and chipping a toe bone, etc.) Often it happens that a broken toe is mistaken to be a case of a sprained toe or something similar. That is something that can potentially hamper the broken toe healing process. A broken toe needs to be diagnosed properly before you can go ahead with broken toe remedy, broken toe treatment, etc. Of course, it goes without saying that the subsequent healing time period for a broken toe will depend upon a variety of factors associated with the injury. Let us see what they are.

Broken Toe Recovery Period

So if you have suffered a minor accident and have ended up with a broken toe, the healing time period will depend on the extent of the injury as well as the method of treatment for the broken toe that is being implemented. Here is how you should go about treating a broken toe.

Broken Toe Treatment

Well, if you happen to hurt your toe and you suspect that you could have chipped or broken a toe bone, obviously the wise thing to do would be to see a doctor and get your toe examined. An X-ray would determine whether it is a serious case of a broken toe, or a less-serious case of a moderate/severely sprained toe. However, if for some reason, you are unable to see a doctor immediately, here is what you should do in the meantime.

• First and foremost, closely observe your toe for any signs of swelling. If it is a case of a broken toe, then in all probability, it would be a traumatic fracture (meaning that a bone, or a certain part of the bone would have been broken, displaced, damaged or dislocated). If only that part of the toe near the point of impact swells up, then it could very well be a case of a bone fracture. However, if the surrounding area swells up as well, then maybe it could be a case of a bad sprain.
• Regardless of whether it is a fracture or not, as soon as you spot signs of swelling, you should immediately apply a bit of ice to the swollen area. Wrap a couple of ice cubes in a soft towel and apply the towel to the affected area. Do this for around 10-12 minutes and at regular intervals. It eases the pain and reduces the swelling.
• Also, if the doctor's visit is going to take a bit of time, taking complete rest is what you should be doing until then. Prop your injured foot onto a stool or on a pillow (if you are resting on a bed) such that it rests in an elevated position. This will prevent the accumulation of fluid near the injured area and will help in reducing the swelling to an extent.
• Once you visit the doctor, the X-ray will confirm whether or not it is a case of a broken toe. If necessary, the doctor may fit your toe with a splint to immobilize it, i.e., keep it in a fixed position and prevent it from unnecessary movement. Alternatively, a shoe cast may also be recommended for the same purpose.
• If the extent of the bone breakage is severe or complicated, then the doctor may be left with no option but to perform a surgical procedure to realign the toe bone.

As far as the healing time period is concerned, it can range between four weeks to eight weeks, depending on the extent and the severity of the injury. During this period, you are required to stay away from any form of exercise or physical activity that would otherwise put pressure on the recuperating toe. Activities like running and jogging should be resumed only after the toe heals completely (something that can take up to three months time).