What Types of Toe Pain Are There?

Throughout a typical patient’s life, there will be at least one minor toe injury usually sustained during childhood while playing or sports. Athletes that practice dance, gymnastics, football or basketball have an increased chance of incurring a serious toe injury while older adults are at a higher risk because of a general loss of muscle mass and bone strength as the patient ages.

While most injuries heal by themselves, home treatments are required to relieve symptoms and pain while at the same time encourage healing of the injury. The types of common toe injuries include:

• Cuts & Scratches: A superficial cut through the skin rarely becomes infected whereas laceration can cut clear through the skin or dermis.
• Abrasions & Scrapes: This occurs when an area of skin has been scraped off. This is considered a superficial wound.
• Bruising: Bruising is the result of a crushing injury or blow to the tow where bleeding occurs and seeps into the skin from damaged blood vessels.
• Jammed Toe: When the end of a straightened toe is struck – usually while kicking something – the ligaments and tendons are usually torn or stretched.
• Crushed Toe: This is an injury that is usually sustained from having a heavy object falling on the toe, causing cuts, bruise or blood-blister under the toenail. Fractures of the toe bones usually occurs.