Broken Big Toe: Causes Symptoms Diagnosis and Treatments

By Kit Carter. Last Updated 8th June 2022. You can fracture your big toe in several ways with the most common being when something heavy is dropped onto it. If you suffered a broken big toe and you are not very happy with a diagnosis and treatment you receive, you may be entitled to free medical care and physiotherapy in your area.

Broken big toe

Broken big toe

If you sustain a minor fracture to any other toe, you can usually have it taped to the one next to it which is a good way of keeping the injured toe from further damage while at the same time, keeping it in the right place. However, when the injury involves a fractured big toe, you are more likely going to have it placed in a cast or you may even have to undergo surgery to put things right. The good news is that the majority of broken big toe injuries mend well providing there are no complications or infections. Fractured big toe recovery time takes anything from four to six weeks and during this time your mobility may be restricted making every day tasks and chores that much harder to carry out. You may not be able to work during this time either.

If you would like to know more about broken big toe injuries, this guide provides useful information on the causes, the symptoms of broken big toe, diagnosis, treatments and whether you may be entitled to any free medical care, physiotherapy aftercare and medical aids. To find out more, please click on the Select a Section below:

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What is a Broken Big Toe?

Sustaining a broken big toe can be a painful experience more especially if you suffer a severe open break or a crushed toe. There are several incidents that could result in this type of foot injury whether it is because you stubbed your toe on something solid or a heavy object dropped on it. Unlike your other toes, if you break a big toe you would not be able to tape it to the toe next to it, but rather it would need to be placed in a cast or splint during the recovery process. This would ensure the damaged bones remain in the right place so the can knit properly.

Should your injury be extremely severe and bones have been crushed or have broken through the skin, you would need to undergo surgery to put things right. This could involve the use of screws and pins to keep damaged bones in place. If you were involved in some sort of incident that left you with a suspected broken big toe, you should seek medical attention without delay even if you think your toe is just badly bruised. The sooner this type of injury is diagnosed and treated, the less risk there is of any further damage being done to any of the damaged bones.

If you have suffered this type of foot injury and you are not happy with an NHS diagnosis, you may find that you qualify for free private medical care for a broken big toe, you may even be entitled to free physiotherapy aftercare and medical supplies.

Speak to one of our health experts today and find out what sort of therapies are available in your area and whether you would qualify to receive them.

What are the Common Causes of a Broken Big Toe?

As previously touched upon, you can suffer a broken big toe in several ways, but the most common causes of this type of foot injury are detailed below:

  • A heavy item drops onto your foot breaking your big toe
  • You stubbed your big toe against a solid object

These are just two of the most common ways that you may end up with a broken big toe, but there are many others. If you suspect you have done a lot of damage to your toe, as previously mentioned, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent any further damage being done to affected bones which could make the injury a lot worse.

If you were involved in any sort of incident that left you with a suspected serious injury to a big toe, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your injury must be examined, correctly diagnosed and treated appropriately to prevent any further damage which could make your injury that much harder to treat.

How Do I Know If I’ve Fractured My Big Toe Or Broken It?

It can be hard to tell if you’ve broken your big toe, fractured your big toe, or injured your big toe joint in some other way, as these injuries are very similar, and it can be hard to differentiate between them. However, it’s important to know the difference, as some injuries will require hospital attention. According to the NHS, common symptoms of a broken big toe could include:

  • Redness or bruising on the skin or under the nail
  • Pain and swelling
  • Difficulty walking

While these symptoms do not always mean your toe is broken, we still recommend that you seek medical attention if you experience any of these issues. The NHS recommends that you go to A&E as soon as possible if:

  • Your toe is sitting at an awkward or painful angle
  • The bone is sticking out of your skin
  • You heard a snapping, popping or grinding noise during the injury
  • Your foot has gone numb, or is tingling abnormally after the injury

Also, if you have diabetes and have injured your big toe, the NHS recommends that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Foot injuries can often be more serious for people suffering from diabetes.

How is a Broken Big Toe Diagnosed?

A doctor would need to know how your injury occurred and whether you were involved in an accident or if you stubbed your toe before thoroughly examining your injury. The doctor would check for tenderness, any deformity and tenderness. If you suffered an open fracture, the doctor would make sure there are no foreign bodies embedded in the wound before cleaning it thoroughly. To confirm an initial diagnosis the doctor would then carry out the following tests:

  • A series of x-rays taken from various angles to establish the extent of bone damage that has occurred
  • A CT scan which would determine the extent of any soft tissue damage
  • An MRI scan which would give an even more detailed image of the injury

The pictures of broken big toe that show up on an x-ray should provide enough information on your injury to determine what treatment would be needed to put things right.

If you are unhappy with an NHS broken big toe diagnosis, you may be entitled to receive a free orthopaedic assessment of your broken bone report. To find out more, please speak to one of our health experts today who can tell you straight away.

How is a Broken Big Toe Treated?

When it comes to the treatment of broken big toe If you suspect you have suffered a serious injury, you should have your toe examined by a doctor who would confirm whether you have badly hurt your toe, suffered a minor fracture or a more severe break that may need surgery. Once any x-rays have been taken and a doctor knows the extent of the damage, a treatment plan would be set in place which could include the following depending on the complexity and severity of the injury:

  • Any displaced bones would be put back into the correct position which a doctor would do by manipulating them. You would be given a local anaesthetic for this procedure to be done
  • If blood has collected under your toe nail, this would need to be drained but in some cases the toe nail may need to be removed more especially if there is a larger build-up of blood
  • If you sustained an open fracture, the wound would be cleaned and checked to make sure there are no foreign bodies embedded in it
  • You may need to undergo surgery if the bones are badly damaged. Pins and screws would be used to make sure damage bones remain in place
  • A cast or a special boot would be placed on your injured foot as a support

You would need to use crutches to get around which also helps prevent any pressure being put on an injured big toe once treated. You would also be given a course of antibiotics and it is important to finish the full course to prevent any resistance building up against the medication. You may also be administered a tetanus jab to be on the safe side if you suffered an open fracture to a big toe.

If you are unhappy with an NHS broken big toe treatment you are receiving, you may find that you qualify for free medical care in your area. To find out more, please speak to one of our friendly health experts today who can tell you straight away if you qualify and what therapies are available in your area.

When Do I Need to Go to Hospital for a Broken Big Toe?

If you were involved in an accident or incident that left you with a suspected broken big toe, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible even if you think you have just badly hurt your toe. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should either go to see your doctor or get along to the Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital without delay:

  • Your toe swells up and becomes discoloured
  • There is broken skin at the site or close to the injury
  • There is unbearable pain under your toe nail
  • Your big toe is at a strange angle
  • You cannot bear any weight on an injured foot
  • You have difficulty walking
  • Your big toe and foot go numb and you experience a tingling sensation
  • You suffer from any health issues that affect blood circulation and the nerves in your feet which includes peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and diabetes

You should always have a serious injury to your big toe examined by a doctor to prevent any further damage being done to affected bones. The sooner your injury is correctly diagnosed and treated, the less chance there is of any complications or long-term health issues developing.

What Sort of Free Treatment is Available for a Broken Big Toe?

Broken big toe treatment

Broken big toe treatment

A lot of people who suffer a broken big toe are not aware that they might qualify for free private medical care and free physiotherapy aftercare in their area.  To find out if there are any free treatments and aftercare local to you and whether you would qualify to receive them, please get in touch with one of our health experts today.

What Free Treatments Could I Qualify for Having Broken my Big Toe?

The sort of treatments, therapies and medical aids that could be available in your area if you suffered a broken big toe includes the following:

  • Free medical care in a private medical facility
  • Free physiotherapy aftercare which could consist of a tailored physio programme to suit your injuries
  • Free ice packs
  • Free medical compresses
  • A pair of free crutches
  • A splint for broken big toe
  • Free foot support boot

To find out more, please call one of our health experts today who would tell you in minutes what sort of treatment and therapy you may be entitled to receive for a broken big toe in your area.

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How Long Does a Broken Big Toe Take to Heal?

broken big toe recovery time depends on the complexity and severity of your injury, but on the whole, it takes anything from 4 to 6 weeks for this type of foot injury to mend and heal providing there are no complications. However, if you sustained a severe or open fracture and had to undergo extensive surgery to put things right, it could take quite a bit longer to make a full recovery. In short, a serious broken big toe healing time can take a lot longer more especially if you sustain broken big toe at joint injury.

Are There Any Complications Associated With a Broken Big Toe?

There are several complications that may occur following a broken big toe injury and this includes the following:

  • You may develop an infection if you suffered an open fracture to your big toe and the infection may take hold in affected bones
  • You could develop osteoarthritis if the joints in your big toe were negatively impacted

If your recovery from a broken big toe is taking longer than it should and you would like to know whether you would be entitled to receive any free private treatment and physiotherapy in your area, please call one of our health experts today who could tell you straight away what sort of therapy is available and whether you qualify.

Are There Any Long-term Health Issues Associated with a Broken Big Toe?

There are also some long-term health issues that are often associated with broken big toe injuries more especially due to an incorrect diagnosis and treatment. This includes the following:

  • An affected toe may remain deformed limiting movement and making it harder to fit shoes correctly
  • Arthritis can develop further down the line
  • You may experience chronic pain
  • Bones may fail to mend which is referred to as “nonunion” which can lead to further surgery to put things right

If you are worried about any long-term health issues associated with a fractured big toe and feel that your condition was not treated as well as it should have been, you could be entitled to a free orthopaedic assessment of your NHS broken bone report. Call today to find out more.

Can I Recover Safer and Possibly Faster from a Broken Big Toe?

Having a tailored physiotherapy programme in place early in your rehabilitation could help speed up your broken big toe recovery time and it would do so safely in a clean environment. Whenever you suffer any sort of fracture, private physiotherapy aftercare plays a key role in your rehabilitation.

To find out more about tailored physiotherapy programmes that you could be entitled to receive free of charge at a private health facility that is local to you, please call our team of health experts today. We can tell you within minutes what sort of therapy is available for a broken big toe and whether you would be entitled to receive a treatment free of charge.

I Think My Doctor Missed Something When Treating My Broken Big Toe, What Should I Do?

If you are worried that a doctor may have missed something during a diagnosis or treatment of a broken big toe, you should carry out as much research on this type of foot injury as you can to allay your fears or confirm your suspicions. The links provided at the bottom of the page provide essential reading on broken big toe injuries. The more information you have on this type of foot injury, the better position you would be in when assessing whether a fractured big toe was correctly diagnosed and treated.

Call Today to Find Out if You Qualify for Free Treatment for a Broken Big Toe

Many people throughout the UK do not realise they could be entitled to receive free private medical care, free private physiotherapy aftercare and free medical aids. The medical supplies you could be entitled to receive includes ice packs, medical compresses and foot support boots.

The physiotherapy aftercare you could qualify for would include a tailored physio programme specific to the type of toe injury you sustained which could help you through what is often a painful and slow healing process in a safe environment and expert specialist hands.

Find out today whether you would be entitled to receive free medical care, medical aids and physiotherapy aftercare following an incident that left you with a broken big toe. Our phone lines are open 7 days a week from 9 am to 11 pm and a team of health experts are waiting to take your call on 020 3870 4868.

Link to Websites That Provide Useful Relevant Information

If you suffered a serious injury to your big toe and would like more information on this type of foot injury, please click on the link below:

More about fractures to your toes

To find out more about recognising whether you have suffered a broken toe, please follow the link provided below:

Recognising when you have a fractured toe

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