How long to strap a broken toe

Surgery, if the break is severe. How can you care for your broken toe? Be safe with medicines. Take pain medicines exactly as directed.

If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine. If your toe is taped to the toe next to it, your doctor has shown you how to change the tape.

Protect the skin by putting something soft, such as felt or foam, between your toes before you tape them together. Never tape the toes together skin-to-skin. Your broken toe may need to be buddy-taped for 2 to 4 weeks to heal. Rest and protect your toe. Do not walk on it until you can do so without too much pain. If the doctor has told you to use crutches, use them as instructed. Put ice or a cold pack on your toe for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days when you are awake or until the swelling goes down.

Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Prop up your foot on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. Heat causes an increase in blood flow, which leads to more swelling and more pain. Instead, apply an ice pack for a maximum of minutes to help numb your toe and decrease swelling. Fractures of the big, or great, toe are often more severe than breaks to the others. If the joint is disrupted or the bones have become dislocated, the toe may require surgery.

If your toe fracture is not properly handled, or treatment is delayed you may experience a wide range of consequences and side effects, including:. Early examination and treatment of any fracture is essential for proper healing. Return to List. Broken toe. Check if you have a broken toe You may have broken your toe if it's: red or bruised painful and swollen difficult to walk on Information: Do not worry if you're not sure if it's broken or just bruised, treatment is usually the same for both.

Urgent advice: Get advice from now if:. Other ways to get help Go to an urgent treatment centre Urgent treatment centres are places you can go if you need to see someone now.

They're also called walk-in centres or minor injuries units. If you do not have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease , your toe can be " buddy-taped " to your uninjured toe next to it. Protect the skin by putting some soft padding, such as felt or foam, between your toes before you tape them together. Your injured toe may need to be buddy-taped for 2 to 4 weeks to heal.

If your injured toe hurts more after buddy taping it, remove the tape. Medical treatment is needed more often for a broken big toe than for the other toes. An untreated fracture may cause long-term pain, limited movement, and deformity.

Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.